


Sunsets in Neverland

by TheIndigoDragonfly



Series: The Neverland Chronicles [1]
Category: A.C.E (Beat Interactive Band)
Genre: Dark Ateez feature as villains, Donghun leads the Lost Boys, Explicit Language, Falling In Love, Fantasy, Heavy Angst, Hurt/Comfort, Implied/Referenced Homophobia, Junhee is a florist, M/M, Moderate sex, Neverland (Peter Pan), Peter Pan AU, Soulmates, Strong Violence, The Lost Boys (Peter Pan), illicit romance, moderate gore
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-03-25
Updated: 2020-04-17
Packaged: 2021-03-01 05:21:43
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Major Character Death
Chapters: 8
Words: 39,054
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/23129980
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/TheIndigoDragonfly/pseuds/TheIndigoDragonfly
Summary: Junhee's life is simple - he dedicates his life to floristry and lives alone in a quiet suburb of Seoul. But everything is about to change as the Lost Boys enter his world.When Junhee is mugged on his way home at night, four ethereal young men jump in to protect him - but not before he is gravely injured. And so Junhee finds himself waking up in Neverland - and the secrets he find there will change his life forever.This beautiful world captures Junhee's heart - but it's Donghun, the strong, savage leader of the Lost Boys that begins to truly enchant him. However, dark times lie ahead for Neverland, and they risk losing everything...
Relationships: Lee Donghun/Park Junhee | Jun
Series: The Neverland Chronicles [1]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1940038
Comments: 121
Kudos: 227





	1. Part I

The trouble with floristry was that there was always dirt caught under his nails.

Aside from that, it was – to Junhee – the only walk of life he could imagine.

The night time routine instilled a deep sense of peace in his heart. He turned the sign on the door; swept the floors; watered the cascading greenery and emptied pots that, just hours earlier, had been stuffed full of bright blossoms. And tomorrow they would be once more, after his sunrise trip to the flower market, Americano in-hand, eyes puffy no matter for how long he had been accustomed to the early starts.

As late evening darkened around the shop, he took a deep breath, savouring the scent of soil and petals. This was his favourite place in the world.

Outside, the last dark streaks of colour lit the sky before it turned to black. Junhee pushed his hands further into his pockets. He always walked home on autopilot – by then, the fourteen-hour days finally kicked in and numbed his feet. And so was the case now as he drifted through the Seoul suburb without even seeing the streets he walked through.

He let himself into his apartment with a sigh, still thinking about the conversations he’d had that day and the customers he’d helped. Awkward boys buying flowers for their girlfriends were his favourite. He thought with a smile about the guy his age who had hovered nervously that afternoon as Junhee created a bouquet for his date. Junhee chucked down his keys and glanced up at the clock. The boy would probably be on his date now. He wondered how that was going – and hoped she loved the bright pink lilies.

Shower, pyjamas, ramen, bed – that was the routine. He yawned, keen to feel hot water running down his tired body, and pushed open the door to his bedroom.

What he saw made him freeze.

The room was not empty.

Junhee’s hand shot to his pocket for his phone, but it stopped there. He stared.

A person lay curled up on top of his bed, fast asleep. Junhee peered closer, his heart thudding. It was a boy, his hair cherry red and falling over his face. He looked a few years younger than Junhee – early twenties, perhaps. Was he homeless? He didn’t look it, his clothes were well-kept, if a little unusual…

Silently, without taking his eyes from the intruder, Junhee reached for the hockey stick propped against the wall. With tight fingers around it, he took one step closer, another…

“Wake up and tell me why the hell you’re in my house!”

The boy woke up with a start and leapt up in fright, eyes wide. But it was Junhee who jumped backwards and swore in shock.

Behind the boy’s back spread a pair of wings.

“What the hell-?” Junhee tripped over his own feet and dropped the hockey stick with a clatter. The boy stayed stock-still, and then sprang across the room, fumbling with the window. “Hey! Stop!”

“Shit…” The boy’s voice carried an accent Junhee couldn’t place alongside panic. He succeeded in wrenching open the latch and leaped up onto the windowsill, dodging Junhee’s lunging grab.

“ _What the fuck are you_ -!”

Too late. The boy jumped.

Junhee’s breath left him. He darted to the window.

Four floors down, the Seoul street continued as normal, filled with late commuters and students. Junhee stared. No body. No broken limbs. He cast around desperately, looking up as though the boy could have somehow scaled the building – but no trace.

For a full minute, Junhee leaned from the window, his mind racing. What the hell had he just seen? Was he hallucinating? He shook his head hard. Had tiredness really started to make him see things?

Yes, that had to be it. No one could break into his apartment four floors up – let alone exotic-looking boys with wings. He pushed away the little flurry of fear in his belly; it had just felt so _real_.

He decided to forgo washing and eating, instead climbing straight into bed in the hope sleep would soothe his racing mind. He refused to pay it a second thought, pulling the covers up and willing himself to sleep.

~

“Junhee, are you okay?”

Junhee snapped out of his thoughts to find Eunji peering at him with an expression halfway between amusement and concern. He smiled guiltily.

“I’m fine. Just half asleep.” He resumed the flower arrangement he was fixing together with deft fingers. What was he supposed to say – _I think I hallucinated a boy with wings in my bedroom last night?_ “These last couple of days I’ve felt really wiped out. Maybe I need a holiday.” He laughed, but Eunji narrowed her eyes.

“I’ve been telling you that for a whole year.” She wasn’t wrong. Ever since the day Junhee had reluctantly accepted that he needed to employ some help in the shop before he ran himself into the ground, Eunji had spent as much time looking after him as she had done the plants. And for that Junhee was grateful. He welcomed her reminders to eat, and her offers to head to the morning market when her college schedule allowed.

“Well, maybe I’ll think about taking a few days soon.” He stopped as the door opened with a tinkling of the bell, and smiled at the young man that walked in. “Afternoon.”

“Hi.” The boy ducked a bow, a flush colouring his face. “Um… I need a bouquet for my, er, for an anniversary present.”

“Sure.” Junhee set aside the arrangement in front of him and pushed back his bangs with the back of one stained hand. “Do you know what flowers they like?”

“Um… Well, it’s my boyfriend.” The boy’s flush deepened. “He’s got a really good eye for… y’know, pretty, delicate stuff. But I haven’t got a clue.” He laughed nervously, wringing his hands.

Junhee smiled, privately charmed by his awkwardness. “It’s okay, leave it to me. Something tasteful, pretty, classic…” He started assessing stems and plucking ones out that matched his vision, chatting to the boy as he began to weave them together. As though relieved that someone was taking responsibility for his gift, the customer began to thaw.

“So he thinks I’m away for another two nights, but I’m going to surprise him.”

“That’s really sweet.” Junhee laid the blossoms out on brown paper and began to wrap them. “How long have you been together?”

“Three years. I think he’s the one.” The boy flushed again, this time with a giddy smile. His eyes widened as Junhee held out the flowers to him. “They’re perfect! Ah, thank you so much.”

Junhee wished him luck as he left, and sighed as the door closed behind him.

“You thought he was cute.”

Junhee raised an eyebrow at Eunji, who belligerently refused to look up as she cleaned the counter. He rolled his eyes.

“He was literally talking about his boyfriend.”

“So? You can still think he’s cute. Which you did.” She shot him a teasing smirk. “A messy-haired, tanned-skinned boy with doe eyes? Come off it, Junhee. I’ve known you too long.”

Junhee couldn’t help but laugh and he flung his gloves at her in jest. “I’m your boss, you insolent girl.” He fetched the broom as Eunji headed out the back, cackling.

Beneath the playfulness, his heart gave a wistful pang. A part of him did wish he had a special someone – someone who wanted to surprise him, someone who lit up when they talked about him. Since his last relationship broke down three years ago, and he had opened the shop, he hadn’t met anyone who made his heart skip.

But he had long since given up on that hopeless notion of romance. No, the older he got, the more he believed that romance wasn’t on the cards for him. Love was a path other people walked – but he just had a suspicion that it wasn’t going to be a part of his future.

That evening he entrusted Eunji with locking up and met a friend for dinner. It was in those rare moments that the knots in his back unwound a little, when his mind emptied, for once, of the endless cycle of floristry. His work was his passion, but food and wine and company still gave his tired mind a welcome respite.

He sighed, content, as he headed back home, hands-in-pockets. The night had drawn in, but it was still warm in Seoul, and he was lost in his thoughts as he cut through the alleyway that provided a shortcut to his home.

The wrench of his t-shirt was silent, and sudden.

Junhee’s breath left him as he was pushed, hard, against the wall. He tried to scream – but a rough hand over his mouth killed the sound.

He found himself staring into the faces of three taller men. Masks covered their mouths and noses. In the darkness, he could just make out their narrowed eyes.

“Money. Phone.”

Junhee squirmed desperately, still trying to call out. The man holding him took his chin and slammed his head back against the wall. Stars burst across his vision.

“I said _money and phone_ , faggot.”

He dug in his pockets with quivering hands and passed over his belongings. _Just let me go, just-_

The smack around his jaw sent pain lancing through his skull.

“You’re the flower boy, huh?” The man spat at his feet. “You’re one of them. Think it’s okay to turn our country into some gross perverted shitshow? This ain’t America. Men don’t fuck men, you freak.”

Another smack across the face, and Junhee’s knees hit the floor. The taste of blood filled his mouth as he scrabbled backwards, but a kick sent him sprawling onto his front.

“Someone help…” he croaked, but his plea was cut short by another kick to his stomach.

The streetlight beyond the alley seemed a long way away, but it was enough for a glint of light to catch on a silver blade of a knife.

Was this it? Was this how it ended – jumped in an alleyway at twenty-six? He could barely register fear – they just kept kicking him, it just kept hurting, he just wanted the pain to stop, he just-

“Get away from him!”

Junhee’s vision swam as he looked up, but he caught a shock of bright red hair, and a fist connecting perfectly with one of the assailant’s noses. There was a series of shouts, stumbling, swearing – someone stood over Junhee now, his centre of gravity lowered, his wings…

His _wings?_

Junhee forced himself up onto all fours, gritting his teeth against the pain. By the time he had staggered to his feet and leant against the wall, the red-haired boy was fending off all three attackers. He was lightning fast, his aim true.

But even so, three strong men were too much. The redhead leaped backwards to escape a thrusted knife and fell onto his back.

One of the men wrenched Junhee closer and suddenly, a very cold pain jutted into his stomach.

“ _Yuchan!_ ”

It was as though the wind itself suddenly slammed into the three attackers; they were cleared straight off their feet. But this force was corporal – and the three boys that leaped over the redhead to defend him flew as though their feet didn’t need to touch the ground.

In seconds, the three men were laid out in the alleyway, still.

“Yuchannie!”

Two of the boys dropped down to help the redhead to his feet, their faces filled with fear.

“I’m fine… I’m fine…”

Beyond them, a fourth figure stood turned away, still staring down the attackers where they lay. Junhee’s eyes blurred, the world around him swaying. From his shoulder blades: wings. Delicate, translucent, golden wings.

Breathing became too difficult and Junhee crumpled.

He heard his own breath, heard the way it rasped as though it couldn’t escape his throat. The pain in his abdomen doubled with each pulse of his heart. He put weak fingers to his stomach. They came back wet.

“Donghun?! We need to do something!”

“Out of the way. _Now_.”

Junhee looked up, trying to fix his focus. A boy with wild brown hair and honey skin leaned over him. Through the fractured kaleidoscope of his vision, Junhee could make out flecks of gold that littered his face like constellations. He gasped for breath as warm fingers touched his face. Despite the agony, he couldn’t break away from those dark eyes.

“Stay with me, little one.”

Junhee screamed out as a hand pressed over his bleeding stomach. His back arched and he grabbed at the boy’s waist in reflex, but in return the boy’s other hand stayed firm on his cheek, and in the softest voice, he began to sing.

On the very brink of consciousness, Junhee could make out no words. It was, however, the most beautiful sound he could remember hearing. He choked for his breath, hazy eyes finding the dark ones that still never looked away from his. Everything began to fade away, until there was nothing but the glimmer of gold on the boy’s face… gold wings behind him… and a golden voice that calmed his heart, even if this really was the end.

His hand slipped from the boy’s waist. Everything faded to black.

~

Pain. No sight, no sound, just hot, dull pain.

Was this consciousness? Was he alive? It ate at him, a lit match planted inside his body and left to burn. Torture.

_Just let me go back to the darkness. Just let it end._

But death didn’t listen, this time – and slowly, Junhee’s consciousness returned. He wasn’t sure for how long he drifted in and out, wasn’t sure if those strangled whimpers belonged to him or some other suffering soul. Eventually, he became aware of parts of his body again: his head rested against something soft, his fingers scratched at cotton, and he was able to open his eyes.

He was in a room he didn’t recognise. Blinking twice revealed a wooden roof. And wooden walls, too – everything was a rich mahogany. This… this was no hospital? On a table beyond his feet, a vase of flowers. He couldn’t be seeing properly, he was hallucinating, because those blossoms were so brilliant, so bright, they couldn’t possibly exist. With the only energy he had in his body, he tilted his head, and met another pair of eyes.

The boy sat next to him was poised, and silent. He had kind eyes – ones that watched him quietly. Silver hair fell around his ears – and silver wings draped down behind him. Like a shaken kaleidoscope, fractured memories began to take form. The alleyway. The knife. Four boys, four boys with wings - and this boy, he was one of them…

Junhee tried to sit up, and it was the worst decision of his life.

The scream he heard was distant and feral. It was laced with agony, laced with a plea: _please let me go, please let me fade._

The boy with silver hair appeared over him with a jar of amber ointment. As he touched it to Junhee’s belly, it soothed the gnawing pain – but not before it stung like a thousand needles. Junhee convulsed, tears leaking down his face.

“Sehyoon, isn’t it working?”

The voice was close, but Junhee couldn’t bear to open his eyes – it took all his energy to stay alive.

“It is. Signet Marigold knits human flesh the way it does ours. But it hurts, and he’s weak.”

Someone sat on the bed beside Junhee and put a cool hand on his fevered forehead.

“Will he survive?”

“I think so.”

Something about the hand on his face began to soothe Junhee. It moved to his cheek, and Junhee felt a sudden desperation for it not to leave; he needed that touch, it was the only thing taking away the pain…

He whimpered as a thumb kneaded the skin behind his ear. Hazy, he opened his eyes again. A gold-freckled face looked down at him, the same one that had leaned over him in that alleyway, the same mocha eyes, the same curled hazelnut hair, the same honey skin. Junhee turned his cheek against the hand that cupped it – he didn’t know who this boy was, didn’t know why his touch was the only thing that took the pain away, but it did, and he craved it like water to a parched man.

Seconds, minutes, hours passed, he didn’t know, but he found the strength to reach up to the boy’s hand. The fingers relented to him moving them, and he guided them to his stomach and the place where the knife had sunk into him. He pressed the boy’s palm against his wound and cried out as initial pain blistered through his core. But then that gentle, soothing tingling followed, the one that felt like water washing away acid.

“Does that help?”

Junhee nodded weakly.

“Then sleep, little one. The pain will fade soon.”

Junhee looked into his face desperately, afraid that if he let go, he would never wake up again. But he trusted this stranger, trusted this honest voice and those healing hands. His vision swam; the gold on the boy’s skin and the gold of his wings blurred. Was he an angel?

Junhee gave up fighting the pain. If this beautiful creature was his last sight before death, then perhaps he should let it be.

~

When he woke next, the first thing he noticed was the way the pain had faded. For a moment he just lay, overwhelmed by relief. It no longer hurt to breathe, and the agony in his abdomen was now a muted dull ache.

He was still in the same wooden room, but his company had changed. This time, the red-haired boy sat reading a book, humming – the one he had found asleep on his bed, the one who had jumped in first in the fight. Junhee felt a flutter of panic. Who were these people? Where was he?

He gritted his teeth as he sat up, and the boy looked up.

“You’re awake!” A bright smile split his face, but Junhee shirked away. The return of his memories and consciousness brought with them fear in his stomach as he eyed those strange wings. The boy seemed to sense it and raised a hand uncertainly. “It’s okay. I-I’m Yuchan. I’m looking after you today while the others are gone. Are you-”

But Junhee was on his feet, despite the rush of dizziness that assaulted him. He didn’t know what was happening, where he was, he just wanted to go home…

“Hey!”

The voice followed him as he pushed open the door, stumbling outside.

The boy caught him up easily, but the hand on his arm was unnecessary. Junhee had already frozen to the spot.

In all his life, he had never seen anything so beautiful.

The world around him was in brilliant technicolour. The building from which he had emerged sat on the very edge of a peridot forest that chirped with life. The house from was woven amongst the tallest trees, as though it had simple grown organically from one of those thick oak trunks. Even here, on its perimeter, Junhee could hear the thrum of life: of plants and insects and birds singing out and filling the world with energy.

Behind the woods, mountains surged upwards from the ground, their snowy peaks kissing the clouds high above. And before him, the land ran down steeply from the forest, mile after mile of wild grass studded with opal lakes, bursting with spilling foliage until it met the crystal sea beyond. Flowers – with petals of fuchsia and indigo and coral and violet – bloomed at his feet and tumbled down the grassland like the jewels of a crown. Birds in candy colours soared in arcs, and great creatures roamed like mountains brought to life.

All this as the sun set into the ocean, a great amber ball splitting the sky into ribbons of topaz and gold. And hung in the sky like a dreamcatcher, three pearl moons.

Junhee couldn’t even draw breath.

“You… you can’t go, you’re still hurt.” Yuchan approached him hesitantly, but Junhee was still staring at the world before him.

“Am I dead..?” It was all he could manage, all he could comprehend: because this place, this _fairy-tale_ could not exist.

Yuchan didn’t have a chance to answer before approaching footsteps caught both their attention. Junhee’s stomach flipped and he took a step back, afraid. The boy touched with silver – Sehyoon? –emerged from the woodland, walking with a shorter boy with angular features and wings of deep cobalt blue. Whatever conversation they were having died on their lips as they saw Junhee.

Behind them walked someone else. Junhee’s insides twisted again, but this time he was rooted to the spot.

The gold-gilded boy approached him with stormy eyes. Junhee simultaneously wanted to run in fear and felt incapable of ever looking away from that gaze, even when the boy stopped right in front of him and stared into his face. Everything he wore was black and clung close to his body, but it was like an aura of light filled the space around him. Junhee’s head began to spin. He had never in his life seen a boy so beautiful.

“Who are you?” The voice that escaped Junhee was a shaky whisper.

The boy pursed his lips, as though somehow his dark gaze could weigh up Junhee’s soul. “Around here, they call us the Lost Boys.” One eyebrow raised a fraction. “And I’m our leader, of sorts. My name’s Donghun.”

 _Donghun._ Even his name sounded like caramel. Light-headedness washed over Junhee once again.

“Let’s make this plain. We saved your life, and we brought you here. And you can’t leave without us either. So run, if you like – you’ll get eaten alive out there.”

Junhee looked once more out over the strange land filled with rainbow hues, his heart pounding. He swallowed hard, and looked back at Donghun.

“I thought so.” A dark smile passed over his handsome face. “Welcome to Neverland.”

_｡･:*:･ﾟ★,｡･:*:･ﾟ☆ End of Part I ｡･:*:･ﾟ★,｡･:*:･ﾟ☆_

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> The world faces some difficult times right now - for a little while, let's escape together to another one.
> 
> Stay healthy, stay kind.
> 
> With love,
> 
> The Indigo Dragonfly
> 
> ~  
> [Come say hi on Twitter!](https://twitter.com/IndiDragonfly)


	2. Part II

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> After being assaulted on his way home from his floristry shop, Junhee woke up to find himself in this oil painting-perfect world that the Lost Boys call Neverland.
> 
> But who are these winged boys - and how did Junhee get here? And then there's Donghun, the leader with the sweet voice and savage words... Junhee is going to need answers, and fast.

Despite himself, Junhee’s stomach grumbled loudly. It didn’t go unnoticed.

“It won’t be long! And you’ll really like it!” Yuchan, the youngest, sat cross-legged opposite Junhee at the table. Since they had been sat here, his gawping stare had never left Junhee’s face. For someone who went so unnoticed in Seoul, Junhee suddenly felt very self-conscious under the scrutiny.

“It’s okay. Thanks for feeding me…” He watched Sehyoon and Byeongkwan – the boy with blue wings – weave around each other as they prepared food in the long galley kitchen. Pots stood on open fires, seemingly lit from nowhere, and he caught glimpses of fruits and roots he had never seen in his life.

He looked down at his hands, thinking back on his encounter outside earlier that evening. After Junhee had realised he had nowhere else to turn to, he had reluctantly accepted the care of these four strange boys.

But Donghun, who had seemed so gentle when Junhee had lay in agony – his voice had been sharp.

_We need to get rid of him. We can’t have a human here._

Junhee had blanched as Byeongkwan responded.

_And we will, when he’s healed. Hun… He nearly died._

All this discussed in front of him, like he was a stray dog yapping at their ankles. It had been almost too much for Junhee – this overwhelming new place, these people, none of which he understood… But Sehyoon had put a gentle hand on Junhee’s shoulder and spoken in his soft voice.

_This must be very confusing for you. We’re not going to hurt you. We want to get you home as soon as we can. But until then, we’ll look after you. What’s your name?_

_… Junhee._

And with that, Donghun had turned to leave.

_Eat without me. I have work to do._

So here he was, sat in this wooden house surrounded by these four boys and a growing hunger gnawing at his belly. Though the pain had abated greatly, he still felt exhausted, and he gave in to sitting quietly and accepting what was before him.

“So what’s your life like, Junhee? In your city, in S-Seoul?” Yuchan ignored Byeongkwan and Sehyoon as they filled the table with steaming bowls of colourful food, still peering with excitement at Junhee. “Do you have-”

Byeongkwan cuffed Yuchan’s head as he joined them at the table; Sehyoon rubbed the young one’s hair soon after.

“Manners, Yuchan.” Byeongkwan sat on a cushion and began serving himself some purple leaves. “Sorry, Junhee, he’s just excited.”

“It’s okay.” Junhee flushed, watching Yuchan pile food onto his plate before his own.

“I didn’t mean to be rude.” Yuchan’s eyes went round. “We just don’t get much new company around here. It’s just me and my brothers.”

“And what’s wrong with us?!”

“…Nothing.”

Junhee observed their camaraderie, the tension in his shoulders dissipating a little. They might look different, but they acted just like young men his own age.

“Are you all brothers?” he asked tentatively, and Byeongkwan shook his head.

“No. None of us are brothers by blood.” He adjusted his wings. “Donghun and I met a long time ago. We found this one next,” he said, looking at Sehyoon, who ate quietly. “Thought he was mute for _ages_. He didn’t say a word for weeks. Turns out he’s just that quiet.”

Sehyoon shrugged, a small smile tugging his lips.

“And then we found our little brother.” Byeongkwan smiled at Yuchan, who sat up proudly, his cheeks full of food. “He’s still learning a lot.” Junhee smiled, and Byeongkwan nodded at the untouched food in front of him. “Eat. You need your strength to recover.”

The food piled on his plate was nothing like anything he had eaten before. Bright crunchy leaves, steaming tubers and soft grains that melted on his tongue. And as they ate, they talked, and despite himself, despite everything, Junhee found himself warming to these three unusual boys.

“We’ll heal you up as quickly as we can.” Byeongkwan leaned back on his hands as they finished the meal, plates empty. “And we’ll get you home as soon as you’re strong enough.”

Junhee hesitated, unsure of how to phrase his question. “So… where _are_ we? How do I get home..?”

Byeongkwan and Sehyoon exchanged a look, and even Yuchan glanced up at his brothers with an air of uncertainty. It was Byeongkwan who sighed, and propped his elbows on the table, fixing Junhee with a thoughtful look.

“I guess there’s a lot of explaining we need to do to help you understand.” He looked at Sehyoon, who nodded him on. “But bear in mind, there’s some things I can’t explain to you – either that Donghun wouldn’t want you to know, or that you probably wouldn’t understand. No offence intended.”

“None taken…”

“Okay.” Byeongkwan took a deep breath. With a wave of his hand, sparks of light fluttered into existence in front of their very eyes, and shot together to form shapes. Junhee took a sharp intake of breath. “Neverland and your world coexist on different planes. See it like… two sides of a coin. Connected, but separate.” The sparks moved, changed colour, and Junhee found himself looking at a hazy recreation of the landscape outside the wooden house. “Energy works differently in Neverland. Things, people… they can be manipulated in ways that aren’t possible in your world. And that’s what your people call magic.”

Junhee’s heart skipped.

“As you’ve seen, Neverland is a blossoming ecosystem-” The sparks moved to show forests, and flowers, and overgrowth, “-and it’s through the natural world that creatures here are able to replenish their magical strength. Basically, we gain our magic from the flowers around us. And that magical strength is what allow us to manipulate energies – to fly, to heal our wounds, to make things like this-” Byeongkwan flicked his wrist and the sparks flurried like a school of fish and looped a rainbow arc around their heads.

“But in Neverland, resources are finite.” Byeongkwan’s hand returned to his side and the sparks sputtered into nothingness. “The woodlands are shrinking, and the flowers are being drained of their energies – consumed - faster than they can grow. There’s many different creatures here in Neverland, and all of them are fighting over a shrinking resource.”

Junhee glanced at Yuchan, who looked down and swallowed hard.

“And that’s why we travel to _your_ world.” The youngest boy glanced at Byeongkwan for reassurance, and sat a little taller as he was nodded on. “The flowers here are drained before they can even produce seeds. We travel to your world to… well, to get seeds.”

Junhee was trying frantically to keep up. Magic, flowers, planes of existence… “But you’re saying the flowers here are the source of magic, right? But our flowers, where I’m from, they’re not…” He thought of his own shop with a pang. He believed in the restorative properties of flowers more than most, but _magical_..?

Byeongkwan shook his head. “No. But as soon as seeds are planted here, they take on the magical properties all the same. And we – the four of us – can sing to them to help them grow.” He picked at some leftover food. “Now, I’m not able nor willing to explain the way we travel between worlds. All you need to know is that we can, and we do. We travel at sunset, leave at sunrise.”

“Why only at night?”

Byeongkwan sighed. “It’s far too much for you to understand right now, but there’s more to sunsets and sunrises than meets the eye. A time when different worlds and energies fleetingly touch. And if we don’t leave by sunrise…” He trailed off, leaving a void of silence.

“We would lose our ability to ever come back.” Sehyoon looked at Junhee with a small shrug.

Junhee took a moment to digest what he had been told. Yes, the very existence of this place and these people and _magic_ was at the very furthest reaches of his comprehension, but… somehow, he followed. And hadn’t he always believed that there were powers in the universe that he didn’t understand? Things at work beyond human comprehension?

“So…” he managed eventually. “You were collecting seeds the day I found you in my apartment?” He looked at Yuchan, who went pink.

“Y-yes,” he stammered. “The crossover between Neverland and your world, it’s… it’s really exhausting.” He wrung his hands with a nervous laugh. “The window was unlocked and I just needed to rest, but I didn’t mean to fall asleep, I’m so sorry, I-”

“It’s okay.” Yuchan looked up as Junhee cut him off. “I was just a little shocked, but don’t feel bad.” A warm smile crept over Yuchan’s face, and Junhee returned it.

Byeongkwan snorted. “Don’t worry, you should have heard the earful he got from Donghun when he came back and told us what had happened.” He exchanged an amused glance with Sehyoon. “I mean, he dotes on Channie like nobody else but that morning I heard curse words I didn’t even know existed.” They both sniggered.

“Yeah.” Yuchan’s eyes were wide and unseeing, like he was reliving the verbal rebuke. “And that’s why we came back the second night. We needed to find out if you’d told anyone or reported it to your police, but…” He trailed off.

“We didn’t expect to see you getting attacked.” Byeongkwan looked closely at Junhee. “What happened?”

Junhee’s heart panged and he looked away. Flashes of the assault snapped through his memory and he tried to push them away as his stomach spasmed. He hadn’t had chance to reflect on what had happened, but hissed words echoed through his recollection: _You’re the flower boy, huh? You’re one of them._

Was that it? Had they attacked him because they knew… knew he dated boys? Byeongkwan, Sehyoon and Yuchan watched him curiously, and he squirmed under their observation. Whether he was right or wrong about the attackers’ motives, he decided that now was not the time to test the open-mindedness of these unknown boys.

“I don’t know,” he said instead. “I’m glad you were there though. Truly, thank you. I… I really owe you for saving my life.”

“You owe us nothing.” Whenever he spoke, Sehyoon’s voice was mild, and Junhee returned the smile he was offered with gratitude.

“And I hope you didn’t get in too much trouble, Yuchan.” He looked up at the redhead, who gave a grin.

“Oh, I did. But it’s alright. I’ve received more than one telling off from Donghun in my life.”

Junhee brooded on this ‘leader’ of theirs. Earlier, on the edge of the woods, his eyes had flashed with something dark, his tone direct to the point of cruelty.

“Your leader, he seems…” Junhee trailed off as the others began to stack plates.

“Like a bit of a bastard?” Junhee blinked in surprise at Byeongkwan’s response. “Oh, I know. He can seem… gruff, at first. And his humour is sharp, so watch out for that too.” Byeongkwan looked thoughtful. “He has a very tough exterior, does Donghun. Because he’s had to. He’s magically powerful – so powerful – more than the three of us combined. That’s why even his touch has healing properties on you.” Junhee flushed, embarrassed at the thought of anyone else witnessing that. It had somehow felt so… intimate. “He has to be strong, and that’s given him a savage exterior.”

“He has a soft heart.” Sehyoon tucked a tendril of silver hair behind his ear.

“He does,” Byeongkwan agreed. “I mean, he was the one who saved your life…”

Junhee thought again of that gentle touch as he had lay crying on the brink of consciousness, of the sweet voice that had sung to him…

When they finally got to their feet, Junhee helped the others clear the table and hovered anxiously near Byeongkwan.

“Am I allowed outside?” he asked.

“Of course.” A trace of amusement crossed over Byeongkwan’s face. “We’re not enslaving you. Just stick to the woodland where it’s safe. And don’t go too far – you’ll get lost and I’m far too tired to come and find you.”

The night time air was a welcome relief. Junhee inhaled deeply, rubbing his face with his hands. This was almost more than he could take – Neverland, the Lost Boys… He kept expecting to jolt awake in the alleyway, find it all to be nothing more than a fever dream.

But here he was. The ground beneath his feet was firm, the cool night air filled his lungs, and the faster he accepted that, the faster he could focus on healing and get home to his own reality.

Moonlight filtered through the forest canopy, dousing the foliage in pearl white. Junhee picked his way along the pathway, equal parts afraid and fascinated by the unfamiliar sounds and shadows. Birds twittered from their roosts and some deeper voice let out an intermittent croak. As he walked deeper, fireflies flitted before his eyes, like living, breathing starlight.

But Junhee’s attention was captured by the flowers that tumbled along the path, growing in number as the woodland grew denser. Even in that pale moonlight he could make out foxgloves, cosmos, bluebells and primroses – flowers that never grew together but here coexisted, their leaves tumbling together as they blossomed. He felt a shiver of thrill knowing that magical energies nestled in those buds.

He knew he shouldn’t keep walking, but his feet led him on.

The petals multiplied into dozens, hundreds – and then suddenly the trees gave way to a glade filled with a thousand bursting flowers reaching up to the starscape above.

But it was a voice that rooted Junhee to the spot.

Donghun sat still in the middle of the glade, eyes closed, as he sang. Junhee’s heart skipped. It was a melody he had never heard before, words in a language he didn’t even understand, and yet it sounded like a lullaby that tugged at his deepest memories. The moonlight lit his face and sent his gold wings glimmering, and if Junhee hadn’t known better, he would have said the flowers around him leaned in to listen a little closer.

Warmth crept through Junhee’s bloodstream like alcohol laced with honey. He put out a hand to steady himself.

Donghun glanced up, and immediately the song stopped. The glade grew instantly colder.

“Sorry, I didn’t mean to startle you.”

Donghun’s eyes narrowed, but he said nothing.

Junhee hesitated. There it was again – that touch of a scowl that turned Donghun’s pretty face callous. It was like walls went up and darkened his eyes – Junhee could have sworn the air itself bristled with his discontent.

But Sehyoon’s words repeated themselves: _he has a soft heart_.

Carefully, Junhee began to pick his way across the glade, cautious to weave through the moonlit flowers. Donghun didn’t move as he sat cross-legged next to him, but even keeping his eyes down on the petals in front of him, he could tell that fixed stare was still on his face.

“I just thought I’d take a walk after the others told me about… about this place. It’s a lot to take in.” He attempted a smile, and Donghun snorted quietly.

“Perhaps for your kind.”

He offered no more, instead reaching for his belt and drawing a dagger from a buckle. Junhee’s stomach flipped as Donghun placed it down on the ground in front of him, tugged a knife from one boot, and took a handkerchief from his pocket. He began to clean the weapons in silence.

 _Well that feels like a warning if I’ve ever known one._ Junhee studied Donghun’s face. His wavy hair fell into his eyes and curled around his ears, and he had a tick of pushing it back only for it to stubbornly fall into place once again. The little flecks on his skin were like gold leaf scattered on a painting, catching the light with every movement. One of these little marks bled onto his bottom lip, leaving a band of dark golden colour there. On someone less intimidating, it might have been endearing.

The gold splashes continued down his forearms, standing in contrast with the long white scar that ran from his elbow to the base of his ring finger. Junhee watched him work deftly on his knives, the cruel blades looking ever-so at home in those calloused hands.

Junhee wasn’t sure if it was the heady perfume of the flowers around him, but he suddenly found it very hard to focus on anything other than this boy in front of him. Heat crept through his chest, and his pulse raced, and-

He snapped himself out of it.

Keen to distract himself, Junhee reached out a hand to trace the delicate petals of the flower in front of him.

“Musk mallow,” he identified, tipping the satiny pink flowers skywards so they caught the light. “People often mistake it for hollyhock, but the stems are much shorter. Still has that musky scent – butterflies and hummingbirds both go crazy for them.”

He smiled, his heart soothed as it always did when around flowers. He looked up to find Donghun watching him – this time, the scowl had softened, and a touch of curiosity was on his face.

“How do you know that?”

“I’m a florist.” Junhee brushed through the blossoms with one hand. “My whole life revolves around flowers. In the mornings, I go to the flower market and pick only the best, and then I have a shop and sell them.”

“Why do you sell them?” Donghun watched him closely, his knife-cleaning forgotten.

“People buy flowers as gifts.” Junhee smiled. He was always happy to talk on this subject. “For family, friends – any occasion worth celebrating. But it’s often when people want to show someone they love them. Flowers have a way of expressing things that are hard to say with words.” Memories of his teenage years resurfaced: a shy boy coming to terms with who he was, where he was heading, struggling to find his voice and instead finding it in the symbolism of flowers. “Every flower can tell a story. White chrysanthemums tell the truth, hawthorns express hope… To me, there’s no more beautiful way of communicating.”

Donghun’s expression was difficult to read – he was obviously curious, but somehow still closed off, like Junhee couldn’t quite see over the walls he built around himself.

“We don’t have those meanings.” Donghun paused for so long Junhee thought he would say no more, but eventually he continued. “Flowers here have properties – so white chrysanthemums are excellent for medicines, hawthorns work well with manipulating water energies…” Barely twitching a finger, he waved a little globe of light into existence and let it hover between them, filling the glade with a warm amber glow. “Far more practical.”

Junhee nodded slowly. “I guess so. My favourites are sunflowers… What properties do they have here?”

“Light energy.” Donghun pointed at the globe light and it did a little wriggle. “Things like this.” For a moment, he was quiet, and then he nonchalantly drew circles on the ground. “What’s your ‘symbolism’ for tulips?” Junhee raised his eyebrows in question and Donghun looked away. “They’re my favourite.”

“They symbolise… perfect love.” Junhee played with a daisy, trying to focus on all he had learned about them. “Although different colours can also carry different meaning. Red tulips are for true love, white tulips for purity… and variegated tulips with dual colours symbolise beautiful eyes.”

Donghun snorted softly, and went back to cleaning his knife.

They fell into silence, and Junhee mentally identified as many of the flowers around him as he could before his head began to swim again. Everything seemed to be growing hazier, the little ball of light grew misty… He swayed, putting a hand out on the ground as thought he might faint.

“That’ll happen.”

Junhee looked up, intoxicated, as Donghun re-buckled his weapons.

“You mean… feeling like I’ve been drugged?”

“Mh.” Donghun watched the globe light as it danced around the glade. “The magic in Neverland can have some strange, addling effects on humans. Being around flowers like this for a long time will make you feel that way. And being around magical people can have strange effects, too.”

“Uh-huh.” Junhee tried to focus. In the amber light, the little glitterings of gold caught on Donghun’s cheeks, down his throat, on that little slice across his lips… He wondered, for a moment, if they freckled all of his body, and then he caught himself and turned warm.

Donghun shifted his wings, saying something that Junhee didn’t catch.

“What _are_ you?” Junhee blurted it out before his brain could process what he was saying.

Immediately, haughty indignance flashed across Donghun’s eyes. “ _What_ am I?” He scoffed, that familiar scowl back on his features. “Do you realise how offensive that is?”

“I-I’m sorry, I-”

“How would you like it, huh?” Suddenly, Donghun leaned forward and tugged his hair. “Why’s your hair so short, huh?” He poked Junhee’s cheek. “Why’s your skin so white, don’t you ever go outside?”

“Sorry.” Junhee turned red, abashed.

“Whatever.” Donghun got to his feet with a tut. “It’s time to go back, before your brains get completely scrambled.”

Junhee scrabbled to his feet and trailed after Donghun. It wasn’t an unpleasant feeling – like he’d had a bottle of wine and too much sun. He happily followed in silence, fascinated by the globe of light that flitted down the path before them.

Perhaps Donghun wasn’t as scary as he seemed at first. After all – the other three boys had been warm, and welcoming – surely their leader wouldn’t be so different. And he loved tulips. Could anyone who loved tulips be so scary?

In his muddled state, Junhee found himself fixed on the gold wings he followed. They were like spun sugar – bright and delicate and beautiful. He couldn’t help himself, he didn’t think, he just reached out a finger and ever-so-gently traced the one on the right…

The noise Donghun made was something else.

“Fucking _skies_ , Junhee!” Donghun whirled on him, wings twitching, face incredulous. “Do you know how sensitive that is?!”

Junhee flushed. “I’m sorry! I-I was just curious… I didn’t know…”

“Have you never seen wings before?!”

“… I can’t say I have.”

Donghun glared at him, and then took a very deep breath and sighed loudly. “Fine,” he said, an air of resignation in his voice. “You can touch, _one time_. But never again.”

Worried now that he had seen the response it garnered, but too curious to decline, Junhee reached out a careful hand and brushed one of his wings. Donghun squirmed, teeth gritted. It was like satin – and it was warm, to his surprise. Only then did it dawn on Junhee that this was a body part, just the same as any other – and he quickly withdrew his hand, his cheeks flushing.

“Great, curiosity satisfied, wonderful. Let’s go.”

Junhee hurried after him, jogging to catch up and walk alongside Donghun despite his quick pace.

“I’m sorry, I… I didn’t mean to be insensitive. I’m just, I-” He stopped dead, and Donghun halted too.

“Are you-?”

But Junhee didn’t hear him. Suddenly, the pain in his stomach flared, and it lanced through him. Mixed with the cocktail of dizziness and disconnect, his knees buckled.

Donghun caught him easily.

“I’ve got you.” Junhee tried to resurface, but everything felt suddenly weak and cold. He relented to strong arms lifting him up, and to Donghun’s hand pulling Junhee’s head against his chest before his consciousness sputtered out to nothing.

When he woke up, he was back inside four familiar wooden walls.

Junhee propped himself on his elbows, blinking himself back into awareness. Both Donghun and Sehyoon knelt next to him, but Junhee could see Yuchan hovering anxiously in the doorway as well.

“Are you okay?” Sehyoon put a gentle hand on his arm as he sat up, rubbing his forehead. Junhee nodded, his head feeling clearer than it had done before and the pain once again fading to a distant thrum.

“Yeah, yeah, I’m fine…” Junhee pulled his knees up on the bed, embarrassed. “The pain just… flared up.”

Donghun stood up and snorted derisively. He folded his arms across his chest. “You humans really are useless at knowing your limits.” He turned and headed for the doorway, leaving Sehyoon to peer closely at Junhee.

“You should sleep. Sleep heals. Your body just needs time.”

Junhee still watched the doorway, and then reluctantly nodded his head. “Okay.”

“Sleep here. Yuchan has the bed opposite, and Donghun sleeps in here too, when he doesn’t fall asleep wherever he’s working on something…” Sehyoon gave a small smile. “Rest well.”

“Thank you.”

Junhee watched him leave – allowing the little silver light that trailed him to exit before pulling the door almost shut.

Junhee lay down in the dark with a sigh. He was suddenly aware of his own tiredness – maybe he _had_ been stupid to push himself. Physically, yes – but there had been a lot to take in too. But of it all – the Lost Boys, the landscape, Byeongkwan’s explanation of magic and energies… It was his conversation with Donghun that he couldn’t get stop replaying in his head. Couldn’t stop thinking about the way he loved tulips.

On the brink of sleep, Junhee picked up on voices in the room beyond. He picked out Byeongkwan’s first, and then Donghun’s. It was the latter speaking.

“-and he’s a florist. He’s around flowers for a living – knows a lot about them too. He could identify musk mallow in the woods.” His voice was different than when he was talking to Junhee – softer, like the barriers that hardened his words had fallen. “But to them, flowers have all these emotional meanings, like they all symbolise something. Love, or hope, or purity…”

“And you’re quite taken with the concept, it would seem…”

“… I don’t know what you mean by that.”

Through the darkness, Junhee heard a sigh.

“Just don’t go getting attached, Hun.”

It was the last words Junhee heard as he hovered on the edge of sleep. He was too tired to dwell on them, however, and slipped away into a dreamless rest.

｡･:*:･ﾟ★,｡･:*:･ﾟ☆ End of Part II ｡･:*:･ﾟ★,｡･:*:･ﾟ☆

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Oh Junhee, you dizzy addled fool...
> 
> I truly hope you're enjoying it so far! Your comments really do make my day, so thank you for spurring me on with your kindness!
> 
> With love,  
> The Indigo Dragonfly
> 
> ~
> 
> Part III: coming soon


	3. Part III

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Junhee's started to recover, and is already warming to these Lost Boys and their close sense of brotherhood. Donghun remains an enigma - the walls he holds around his heart keeping Junhee firmly out.
> 
> He needs to focus on his healing so that he can return home - but he's about to stumble across the dark forces of Neverland, in the form of a great, dark pirate ship...

Junhee woke feeling better rested than he had done in months.

The sun filtered into the room, illuminating dust motes in their lazy swirl. Opposite, Yuchan was still fast asleep, his blanket kicked off and his wings tucked around him.

Quietly, Junhee crept out of bed and into the main room of the house. He found it empty – but fruit was piled on the table. Curious, he popped a bright orange berry into his mouth; it burst with sweet juice and made him smile.

Outside, the sky was an uninterrupted umbrella of blue. Awe sunk through his body once more as he looked down over Neverland, this time in bright daylight. The sun had yet to rise high in the sky, but already birds of jewel colours swooped over the land, calling out in song, and the flowers had lifted their faces to the skies.

The land was studded with lakes, and the house sat just uphill from one of them, a small body of crystal water. Donghun sat on the edge, his pant legs rolled up so he could dangle his feet in the water, his back to Junhee. His hair was wet, dripping little beads that ran down his bare back. Junhee tilted his head, a little curious of the way his wings met his back, the gold sinews meeting skin at some indiscernible point.

“Good morning,” Junhee said as he walked over, keen not to catch him off-guard as he had done the day before in the glade. Donghun glanced up, his expression unchanging.

“’Morning.” His voice was husky, his eyes a little shadowed. Junhee sat down next to him.

“Were you swimming?”

Donghun shook his head. “Just bathing.”

Beads of water clung to his wings like dew on a spider’s web, and Junhee forced himself to look at that rather than his bare chest or the nip of his waist or the defined lines on his toned stomach. His heart fluttered. God, what was coming over him?

“Are you okay?” he asked, just as much to distract himself. “You look a little tired…”

“That’s none of your concern,” Donghun snapped, but then he sighed. “I only got an hour’s sleep.”

“An hour..?” Junhee looked at him with sympathy. “How come?”

Donghun frowned at him, like he was assessing whether or not Junhee was just feigning interest. “I was singing to the flowers half the night. Then blending medicines.” He paused. “Yuchan is working on his medicine making, but I wanted to let him get some more rest.”

Junhee nodded, dipping his own feet into the lake. The water was cool and pleasant. “I can understand, a little. My entire life is spent on flowers back home. Sometimes I get in so late I barely have time to close my eyes before I have to get up to start again.”

“Really?”

“Yeah.” He smiled, watching a school of aquamarine fish dart past his legs. “It’s my passion, and I wouldn’t do anything else. But sometimes the exhaustion is hard.”

He met Donghun’s eyes – fleetingly, because the other boy looked away, pasting that ever-present scowl back onto his face. But something in his eyes was a little softer, a flicker of recognition of their shared experiences.

Eventually, as the sun dried his skin, Donghun got to his feet, pulling his shirt back on and reaching to lace his wings through.

“Wash up. And if you want fresh clothes, just ask. I’ll lend you some.”

Junhee looked up and smiled at his already retreating back. It wasn’t much – but that offer felt like the tiniest thaw in a glacial heart.

~

Junhee was sat outside drinking the medicine Sehyoon had pressed into his hands when he heard the commotion. He was dressed in Donghun’s clothes – snugly fitting black pants and shirt, that left him feeling a little more exposed than he was used to in the oversized button-downs that normally drowned his frame.

“ _Byeongkwan!_ ” It was Donghun and Yuchan – Yuchan stumbled ever-so-slightly as he landed off his wings; Donghun transitioned from flight to a run seamlessly. He cast around, ignoring Junhee. “Kwan!”

“What in the skies are you yelling about?” Byeongkwan appeared, stained with pollen from his work.

Donghun approached him swiftly, and Junhee felt a flutter of fear as he saw worry, not anger, on Donghun’s face.

“ _The Crescent_ is coming ashore.” Donghun jutted his chin at the distant ocean, and Byeongkwan gave a low hiss.

That’s when Junhee noticed it – like some great shadow rising out of the waves. A ship, all black sails, just out to sea.

“What the fuck are those bastards thinking?” Byeongkwan said, ripping the black apron he wore from his front and tossing it in the direction of the house. “How long have we got?”

“We need to go now.” Donghun pushed back his hair, caught sight of Junhee and stopped, as though only just remembering him. “Shit, what to do with you.”

“What’s wrong?” Junhee asked, scrambling to his feet. He didn’t know why, but he didn’t like hearing worry in Donghun’s voice. It filled him with a pulsing dread.

“Some unsavoury characters that shouldn’t be coming anywhere close to land.” Donghun stuck his head inside the door of the house and yelled for Yuchan and Sehyoon. They appeared immediately. “We all need to go – I can’t risk things getting messy and not having the four of us down there.” Donghun appraised Junhee. “You’re going to need to come with us, we can’t leave you here alone.” Donghun’s eyes bore into him. “If anything happens, you need to do whatever I tell you, exactly how I tell you. Got it?”

Junhee’s stomach somersaulted and he nodded.

“Right. Kwan, Sehyoon, with me. We need to be quick. Yuchan – bring Junhee. Be gentle.”

And with that, Donghun, Sehyoon and Byeongkwan turned and broke into a run, before lifting onto their wings and disappearing in haste.

“I-it’s okay!” Yuchan tried to give him a reassuring smile and it wobbled a little. “The crew of _The Crescent_ … They’re exiled. They’re not supposed to come close to land.” He swallowed visibly. “But it’s okay. Because we have Donghun. He won’t let them hurt us.” Yuchan held out a hand. “Are you okay to fly with me?”

“Fly..?” Junhee echoed, looking blankly at Yuchan’s hand.

“If you hold onto me, I can sort of… fly us both.” Yuchan’s fingers slotted into his own. “Just hold tight.”

It was a sensation Junhee would never forget. As though lifted by some unseen force, his feet left the ground, and he clung to Yuchan’s hand so tight it had to hurt. Yuchan didn’t lift them too high, and shot a smile in Junhee’s direction.

“Are you okay?”

Junhee didn’t trust himself to open his mouth. He nodded, and relented to the whooshing in his stomach.

It didn’t take long to get to the seafront. Junhee stumbled despite the gentle lowering from Yuchan – his legs felt weak after the experience. He followed the redhead into a run down the white sands to where the other three boys waited, seawater lapping at their feet.

But Junhee wasn’t looking at them. His eyes were fixed out to sea, out to where the huge black ship was anchored, as close as something that size could come to the shore. Black sails rippled on the wind, a great white compass bleached into the canvas. He felt suddenly cold, a shiver running the length of his spine – it was as though the great vessel was sucking energy right out of the air…

As a smaller vessel approached the shoreline, Junhee instinctively stepped behind Donghun at the same time Yuchan did.

Every hair on Junhee’s body stood up as a booted foot splashed onto the beach.

There were four of them, all dressed the same, entirely in black. Wide-brimmed hats sat low to shade their eyes, their noses and mouths hidden by masks lashed with metal chains. They sauntered with an arrogant strength, and the Lost Boys backed off. All, that was, except Donghun.

He took a step forward, the wind catching his hair and tossing it over his face.

“You’re exiled, _pirates_.” Donghun’s voice was clear and deadly. Junhee could almost taste the danger lacing that last word. “And you dare walk these shores?”

The shortest of the masked men approached Donghun, his low laugh filling Junhee with nausea. He stopped a few steps before the gold-touched boy.

“Oh, Donghun, _dearest_ , aren’t we old _friends?_ ” His voice dripped with sarcastic contempt. “Is that really how you’d greet your fellow Neverlandian-”

“Don’t test me!” Donghun’s voice raised a couple of levels, and the wind suddenly whipped fiercely, sending sand billowing through the air. Junhee’s insides tugged wildly – his skin responded to the static in the air and lit up with goose bumps.

Even the masked men skittered a little at the sudden electricity that charged around them. But their leader continued his delicate croon. “Ah, I see that temper of yours is as _fearsome_ as ever…”

Donghun’s face lowered into a snarl. “What do you want, Hongjoong?”

The name sent another tremor across Junhee’s skin.

“Oh, come, you’re even dropping my titles now?” The pirate pressed a mocking hand to his chest in feigned hurt. “That’s Captain Hongjoong to you, _Lost Boy_. Surely you owe me that, after all we’ve been through…” The boy shot a cruel glance sidelong at Donghun. “All the bloodshed we’ve seen together…”

Instantly, there were flames. They leapt from the sand itself, locking Donghun and Hongjoong inside a circle. Despite his tone, Hongjoong eyed the fire warily.

Donghun took a step closer, squaring up close to the captain.

“Give me one good reason why I shouldn’t burn you alive.”

A hand touched Junhee on the wrist – it was Byeongkwan, in a little gesture of comfort. But Junhee couldn’t look away, he couldn’t, because the flames were flickering in Donghun’s eyes and he had never seen anything so beautifully dangerous-

“Well, you see, Lost Boy.” Hongjoong stared up into Donghun’s face. “You’re all high and mighty and wont to criticise our rule-breaking. But news travels fast in Neverland. And the birds sing of a rumour…” Hongjoong turned, his eyes narrowing in some masked smile, to look directly at Junhee. “They say you found yourself a human.”

Donghun’s dagger was in his hand before Junhee could even see him draw it, and the flames burned higher.

“Fucking look at him and I’ll personally enjoy cutting open all eight of you.”

Hongjoong held that fatal gaze without hesitation. “So it _is_ true.” He held up his hands, sighing dramatically. “Fine, fine, you’ve _got_ me, Lost Boy. I’m quivering in my boots. I’ll leave you and your precious _human._ I _do_ hope you’re not planning to capitalise on that blood of his.” Hongjoong tutted in faux concern. “Now that _would_ damage your little ‘protector of Neverland’ image.” Donghun stayed mute as Hongjoong waved a hand at the circle of flames. “Now be a dear, and put an end to your little firework show. I’m ever so sensitive to the heat, you know…”

The flames dropped, but Donghun’s knuckles stayed white on his dagger. As Hongjoong re-joined his men, Donghun spoke at their backs.

“Don’t even _think_ of trying anything. We deign to give you a supply to keep your magic intact, but you’re outcast and you remain at sea. If you so much as think about trying to tip those scales… There will be blood.”

But Hongjoong and his men didn’t respond. Together they boarded their vessel, which by some unseen force began to head back out from the shore.

The boys approached Donghun, and when Junhee could make his feet move again, he did the same.

Donghun took a deep breath, his eyes still out to sea. As he exhaled, he hissed a low string of curses, that switched halfway into some unknown language Junhee couldn’t comprehend.

“How did they find out?” Yuchan hovered nervously, still looking a little white and sticking close to Donghun’s side.

“It was probably inevitable.” Donghun ran a hand through his hair, and turned to Junhee. “Are you okay?”

“Me? I-I’m fine.” The concern on Donghun’s face was palpable. “Who were those men..?”

“Pirates.” Donghun sheathed his dagger in one movement. “Eight of them, who came to Neverland a long time ago, and called their crew the pirates of Ateez.” He sighed, putting his hands on slender hips. “Once, they were good men. Young, brave adventurers. But… dark desires twisted them into what you see today. Their lust for power spiralled, and they were exiled to live at sea.”

“We provide them with rations of plants to give them enough magical strength to live,” Byeongkwan continued. “It’s an act of mercy, but one those bastards still push against.”

Junhee nodded, still watching the retreating ship. As though the coldness followed them, the chill in the air gradually lifted. “What did he mean, ‘capitalise on my blood’..?” The tremor in Junhee’s voice wasn’t entirely hidden.

Donghun turned to face him. Something unreadable was on his features. “Human blood is powerful in Neverland,” he said slowly. “If someone from here was to… access it, it’s capable of making that person’s magical strength increase tenfold.”

Junhee’s insides turned to ice. This had all been so much to take in, this place, this world – but he hadn’t considered before that he could be in very real danger here. He took a step back, afraid. And that’s when Donghun took Junhee’s shoulders firmly. The touch caused a little crackle of static and Junhee flinched.

“We are not going to hurt you.” Donghun’s eyes searched his face – and Junhee fought conflicting compulsions to squirm away or lean closer. He ended up staring helplessly into those dark eyes. He noticed, for the first time, that the flecks of gold – just like those on his skin – also littered his irises like stars. “Junhee. I promise.”

“Okay.” It was a whisper, and it was all he could manage. “I trust you.”

Donghun’s hands left him, and he turned to the others.

“We just need to make sure we get him back home as quickly as-”

But his words were interrupted. Slowly, the sound of voices drifted up to meet them – female voices – singing a song in a language that lilted and dipped in ways that tore at Junhee’s heart. The sound built gently, swelling like the rolling waves of the sea. In fact, the song seemed to come from the ocean itself…

Junhee only looked up when Sehyoon, Byeongkwan and Yuchan all walked past him. Junhee stared. Their faces had changed – they all wore an identical expression, suddenly their eyes heavy-lidded, suddenly their faces hungry… Junhee stared as they drifted out to sea, the water rising to their ankles.

“You’re fucking _kidding_ me,” Donghun groaned from next to Junhee. “Not now.”

Junhee stared. “What’s happening?!”

“Sirens - they hypnotise men into walking out to sea!” Donghun ran after the others, tugging frantically on Byeongkwan’s arm. But the blue-winged boy kept pulling forward, struggling to get out to sea, all while that haunting melody built and built. “Junhee, help me hold them back before they fucking well drown themselves!”

Heart pounding, Junhee obliged and ran to Sehyoon, taking him by the waist and dragging him backwards. Donghun had Yuchan’s shirt in one fist, Byeongkwan’s arm in the other, and he kicked back onto his wings with visible effort to try and drag them both back.

“Donghun..!” Junhee called out his name in fear as Sehyoon slipped from his grasp, reaching waves up to his knees.

Donghun growled. “Come here, quickly!” Junhee stared dumbly, and instead Donghun grabbed him by the waist and pulled him next to him as he jumped further out to sea and turned back to the others. He cast out a hand, and a force of air slammed into the other three boys so hard it swept them off their feet and back onto the beach on their backs.

Donghun spun around, still clasping Junhee by the waist. “And you, fuck off!” He raised his hand a second time, this time sending a pulse of thrumming energy rippling through the waves. The singing stopped.

Junhee’s heart was racing. He stared at the place from which the sound had been coming from, all lit up from adrenaline. Only then did he realise how tightly he clung to Donghun, how the other boy’s hand lit sparks from its place on his hip. He looked up into his face, and then blushed, letting him go.

“What a day.” Donghun let out a weary sigh, wading back towards the beach. The other three began to stir, clearly unharmed. “Sirens turning on their enchantment on today of all days.”

“So they lure people out to sea?”

“Yeah. Hopeless men who get dragged down by their voices.” Donghun stood on the shoreline, reaching down to wring out the water from the hem of his pants.

Junhee thought. “Why doesn’t it work on you?” he asked, curious.

“Same reason it doesn’t work on you.” Junhee watched him dubiously, unsure. Donghun gave another sigh. “Well… How many normal women have enchanted you in your life?”

He fixed Junhee with a very pointed look, and went to Yuchan’s side, helping scrape the redhead back onto his feet. Junhee watched him. Well, no women had ever charmed him, because he was-

 _Oh_. Junhee looked up in surprise, watching Donghun get his friends up on their feet. He turned back to glance at Junhee, saw that the penny had dropped, and raised an eyebrow.

“And there you go.”

He turned away, and Junhee bent over to wring out his own clothes. He couldn’t help but feel surprised at that revelation. And, deeper, he couldn’t stop the inexplicable little thrill of excitement that followed.

~

The day had taken its toll, and the boys took to their beds early.

When Junhee rose to his third day in Neverland, he found the house empty except for Donghun. He was at the kitchen table, his arms piled on top of sheets of parchment, his cheek resting on top and his eyes shut. A quill still rested between two fingers and black ink had dripped from the end and left a little rivulet of a stain down his hand.

Junhee hesitated, reluctant to wake him up. He looked peaceful – more peaceful than he ever looked awake – and his hand twitched as he dreamt. Quietly, Junhee fetched the blanket from his bed and returned, tucked it over Donghun’s shoulders and gently prised the quill from his fingers and set it down.

He took the opportunity to wash up. Even now he was alone, and in a place no one knew him, he still hurried to strip off his clothes and disappear into the lake. The water was refreshing – and he couldn’t remember swimming with such a view.

He ducked his face under the water, holding his breath in his cheeks. The water was so clear; he could make out the opal stones at the bottom, see lazy strands of green water plants waving to and fro, and watch pretty rainbow fish dart from here to there.

And then, suddenly, a face appeared. It was little, brown, and furry – but nothing like any animal he had seen before. He jolted back in the water, letting out a gasp of bubbles in surprise. But the little creature bobbed closer, curious, peering into his face.

Junhee surfaced for breath, and the animal followed him up. It let out a happy little squeak and dived again – only to reappear clutching a blue stone. It pushed it towards Junhee on the water, and he took it with a spreading grin.

“Thanks…” The animal disappeared in a spray of droplets, and Junhee laughed, following it down.

Junhee had always been comfortable in the water, and he followed the critter easily as it ducked and paddled. It just kept bringing him pebbles, its beady little eyes shining as he accepted them. Eventually, he surfaced again for air.

“Having fun?”

Junhee jumped at the voice, and found Donghun stood on the water’s edge, arms folded and an eyebrow raised in amusement, his hair still mussed from sleep. Junhee went pink. He disappeared far under the water and only reappeared at the lake’s edge, clinging to the side to protect his modesty.

“What is that thing?” he asked, desperately trying to distract Donghun from the creeping blush that reached his ears.

“It’s a yokai. They’re obsessed with collecting shining things.” He crouched down beside the lake, cupped his hands in the water and splashed it onto his face. “The others are out. You’re coming with me today.”

“I am..?”

“Yes. I need to collect flowers for some tinctures, and it’s high time you earn your keep.”

So half an hour later, Junhee followed Donghun into the forest behind the house, where the daytime twittering of birds was cacophonous. Light spilled through the canopy in cracks, and soon the overgrowth grew so tangled he found himself relieved to have Donghun as a guide. There was no way he would be able to find his way back out of here.

“So that’s what we need. Camellia, wisteria, daffodils, plum blossom and red spider lily.” Donghun glanced at Junhee. “Got that?”

As they walked, Junhee was committed to his task. Largely, he loved this because he loved identifying flowers, loved mentally racing through names of blooms in his head. And god, the flowers here were brighter, more beautiful than those at home. But as well, a little part of him craved Donghun’s approval. He wanted to impress him.

And as hours passed, he gained a glimmer of acknowledgement from Donghun. They walked for miles, searching for the flowers they needed, and Junhee exclaimed every time he found what he was looking for. He got a sense his little outbursts amused the other boy.

But more than just being in this beautiful place, more than just being around flowers, more than just those dizzy feelings that had started to leak into his brain again from being around magic – he found himself enjoying Donghun’s company. At first, the other boy said little, but the more they collected, the more he talked back to Junhee’s giddy commentary on the flowers they found.

“Hey.” Donghun put out a hand to stop him as the sun tipped over into the afternoon. “Tulips.”

Junhee followed his line of sight, and smiled at the striped purple and white tulips bursting into colour as they fought other plants for sunlight. Donghun knelt down, running gentle fingers across the petals.

“What did you say these ones meant, where you’re from?” He looked up, his eyes filled with excitement, the sparkling light that caught in them feeling a lot to Junhee like a subtle sign that his barriers were thawing.

“They’re… Uh… ‘Beautiful eyes’.”

 _And of course that means they’re your favourite flower,_ he wanted to add.

Donghun plucked one of the stems and played with it for a moment. And then he reached up and handed it to Junhee.

He took it, wordlessly, but was unable to comment as Donghun got back to his feet and began to walk off again. Junhee looked down into the flower’s dark centre, his lips twitching at the heady scent and the way its magical properties – and all of those that surrounded him – had started to make him feel giddy again.

But he didn’t have time to dwell on it. As he walked, a familiar pain began to burn through his stomach and he stopped, lights flashing in his eyes. He leaned against a tree suddenly, finding it hard to breathe.

“Junhee?” Donghun approached, looking concerned. “What is it?”

“My injury…” He gasped, head swimming as he gritted his teeth against the pain. “I’ll be okay, I…” But he trailed off, eyes watering as heat lanced through his hip.

Donghun looked troubled. “Let me help.”

Junhee looked up quickly, and let out a hiss of pain for moving too fast. “Help?”

“Like I did before.”

Junhee suddenly remembered the hands on him, the way they had soothed him… But this time he was fully conscious, and he shrank back, reluctant. “It’s okay…”

Donghun held out a hand. “Just come here, little one.”

And at that, something inside Junhee melted.

Taking his silence as permission, Donghun stepped closer, and he gently bunched up the material of Junhee’s shirt, sliding a rough hand over the wound. Junhee gasped in pain; his head swam and he jolted out a hand to use Donghun to steady himself. That recognisable warmth spread from those now-familiar fingers, and ever-so quietly, Donghun began to sing under his breath.

Up close, it was almost unbearable.

The pain began to wash away, but still Junhee’s head swam. He was so, _so_ acutely aware of Donghun’s hand on the bare skin of his lower stomach, so aware of how those fingers felt on his body. He searched his face up close, all flawless honey skin and gold flecks; dark lashes; full lips sliced by that little gilded mark… He knew he was breathing hard, knew that the hand he had on Donghun’s waist to steady himself was digging in deep, but Donghun’s other arm had curled around him, encouraging him closer-

And Donghun’s singing stopped, and his fingers left his skin. So close, they brushed Junhee’s hipbone as he withdrew them; Junhee’s thigh twitched in response.

“Better?” Donghun looked up at him with sincerity. Junhee nodded, not quite trusting himself to speak.

He managed to move his trembling legs to follow Donghun as he resumed walking, but seeds had been planted in his addled brain and now they germinated in earnest. He tried, he tried _so_ hard to stop looking at Donghun but he _couldn’t_ – he was fixated on the way his hair curled around his ears, the rise and fall of the muscles in his arms, the way his back tapered to his tiny waist, the slight curve of his thighs… He couldn’t help it, he felt drunk on him, he still felt a tingling where Donghun’s fingers had been… And what if those fingers found new places to touch… What if those lips found places to taste…

“I think I need some air.” Junhee stopped, swaying. Donghun turned around, and Junhee could have sworn he saw a trace of amusement on his face.

“Is our human getting a bit overwhelmed by it all?” Was he… teasing him? Donghun grinned as he stared dumbly. “So easily bewildered…”

Junhee rolled his eyes at that, and walked past Donghun, shoving him. The walls were coming down, for sure, and in their place an infuriating petulance.

“I’m annoying you, aren’t I?” Donghun reappeared in front of him from above, hung on his wings. This time, when Junhee swiped at him, he ducked out the way, agile in the air. Playfully out of reach, he laughed; the sound was like pure crystal.

“Really fucking annoying.” Despite himself, Junhee couldn’t fight his grin.

“Come on then, let’s get you your air.” He took Junhee round the waist, and the sudden lurch of ground disappearing under Junhee’s feet made him jerk to hold on.

Donghun only let go when he had settled them both on one of the highest branches of a tree that soared above the others. Even then, Junhee was reluctant to prise his hands away: his head might already feel clearer up here, but it was replaced instead by a rush of vertigo washing over him. He slowly shuffled to get more comfortable, and the branch lurched and he flung out a hand to the tree trunk, heart in his throat. At the same time, Donghun grabbed his wrist.

“Relax. I won’t let you fall.”

From the treetops, all of Neverland seeped out like a watercolour canvas. Light caught on the distant waves of the sea far below, glittering like a million gems. Junhee took a deep breath. Even the air here was perfumed, and he felt knots of tension leave his shoulders – ones that had coiled there for years.

“I come up here when I’m stressed.”

Junhee looked up at Donghun with surprise. His eyes, too, where on the horizon, his face thoughtful – the perpetual scowl had smoothed today, his eyebrows no longer knitted in an ever-present frown.

“I can see why.” Junhee looked out over the landscape again, and he could imagine this complex boy sitting here alone to escape the burdens resting on his shoulders. “It’s beautiful.” He swung his legs a little, trusting his companion enough to lose his fear of heights. “Why… why do you get stressed?”

Junhee thought he had overstepped some line in Donghun’s sand, because he didn’t reply for a full minute. Then-

“I worry about the others.” It was simple, and Junhee’s heart twisted. “Neverland _is_ beautiful. It’s my home. But it’s dangerous, too. You’ve already seen the Ateez pirates, and creatures like the sirens…” He took a deep breath and let it out slowly. “It’s my place to keep the others safe, and I worry about them. Especially Yuchan.”

“Because he’s young?” Junhee said carefully. He felt like this opening up was something rare, and precious.

“That, and he’s still learning to work properly with his magic. We’re born with it, but control, real _mastery_ … That takes a lot of time and a lot of work.”

Junhee nodded. “He’s learning from the best though, right?”

Donghun snorted. “I’m flattered.”

For a little while, they both drifted into silence, watching the birds soar through the skies. Even though it was daytime, the three moons hung in the sky like globes, all different sizes but full and luminous. Junhee lost himself staring at them.

“Do you live with others, where you’re from?” Donghun glanced at him, pushing back a stray curl of hair. “Do you… what’s the thing… Are you married?”

Junhee laughed at that. “No… No. I’m too young for that. I’m only twenty-six.” A thought occurred to him. “How old are you?”

Oh, the scowl was back. Donghun crossed his arms, but this time his grumpy face only served to amuse Junhee.

“Does it matter?” he snapped, and Junhee watched him closely.

“I guess not… But you’re older than me, right?”

“ _Yes_ , I’m older than you.” Donghun kept on scowling, and then he sighed, letting his arms unfold again. “Age… works differently here.” He spared a little glance at Junhee, as though looking out for his reaction. “Physically, at least, we can choose what ‘age’ to remain at. So while we grow wiser, we don’t necessarily reflect that in the way we look.”

Junhee took a moment to ponder that. “So you choose to stay this way?”

Another one of those long silences, the ones that made Junhee worry he had said something wrong. But as always, Donghun spoke when he was ready.

“Twenty-eight.” He had his face turned away a little. “My mother died when she was twenty-eight. She was the only family I’ve ever had.” He paused. “I was still a little kid. After that, I had no one to fend for me but myself. I learned to survive, fast.” His eyes were distant, lost in some memories from his past. “She wasn’t given a chance to live beyond that year. So… I stay forever twenty-eight.”

Junhee watched him, filled with a mix of emotions. Little by little, this boy was starting to make sense. All his barriers, all his ferocity – but beneath them, this soft heart, just like Sehyoon had said. And amongst it all, Junhee got a sense that he didn’t tell many people all this. And for that, he felt lucky.

It took a little bravery, but Junhee reached out and touched Donghun’s hand. The other boy looked round in surprise.

“Thank you for telling me that,” Junhee said simply. Donghun smiled, and it was genuine, and happy, and told Junhee that those walls that had kept him out – they’d been let down.

And Junhee felt a spark of something stirring, deep in his heart.

｡･:*:･ﾟ★,｡･:*:･ﾟ☆ End of Part III ｡･:*:･ﾟ★,｡･:*:･ﾟ☆

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Well *Junhee* is smitten with Neverland Donghun, *I'm* smitten with Neverland Donghun (seriously, he's so fun to write...) and I hope you readers are pretty smitten too.
> 
> Things are about to get exciting...
> 
> Thank you as always for reading, it means the world.
> 
> With love,  
> The Indigo Dragonfly
> 
> ~
> 
> Part IV: coming soon


	4. Part IV

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Junhee has encountered a darker side of Neverland in the form of Captain Hongjoong and the crew of The Crescent. But it's far from his thoughts as he spends time helping Donghun in the forest, breaking down the barriers around the other boy one by one.
> 
> However, Junhee and Donghun are letting their guards down - and trouble brews on the horizon.

For the best part of a week, Junhee found himself settling into some semblance of a routine. He woke with the others, ate breakfast, washed up (always finding an excuse to bathe alone) and then accompanied Donghun with whatever work he had to do that day. Some days it was simple collections, some days they had to track and monitor the creatures in the forest – and heal any wounds and injuries they found. And some days Donghun had to sit inside and work, and Junhee would weave arrangements out of flowers that surrounded the house, filling the rooms with bright vases.

And every day he felt a little stronger. Those rushes of pain still crept over him most days, but the exhaustion that followed them grew lesser.

One evening, they tracked through the woodland late into the evening, their path lit by the globe of light Donghun sent dancing in front on them. They talked as they walked, and by now Junhee was used to the giddiness that assaulted him when in the woods.

They were so deep in conversation, they didn’t watch their footing, and both stumbled as they tripped over something round and hard.

“Ah!” Junhee exclaimed, turning to look at the obstacle, and then it all happened so fast.

The little bark ball burst with a thousand insects. They flocked into the air, all dark and humming and furious at being disturbed. Junhee threw up his hands to protect his face, tripping over backwards as the swarm whizzed around him, their mutual buzzing deafening.

“Junhee!” A bang followed, and the insects shot back in somersaults – but it was short-lived. Donghun’s magic, however, granted him time to dive over to Junhee and hurl out a hand.

The little dome that appeared around them was invisible, but the insects slammed off it as though it were made of glass. Junhee stared in shock, and Donghun slowly lowered his hand. The bubble of protection remained unwavering, even as his attention left it.

“Vespas.” Donghun stared up at the frantic insects, their buzzing sound distant, looking unimpressed. “Nasty little bastards.” He sighed. “Are you okay?”

Junhee looked at him, and then winced as he withdrew the hand he had pressed into his thigh. Thick green goo oozed from a puncture in his pant leg, an insect’s stinger still lodged in his skin. “Ow,” he managed, hoarse.

“Oh _skies_.” Donghun shifted over, grimacing. “It’s okay, it’s not poisonous or anything. But you need to get it out.” Junhee looked at him dubiously. “Do you want me to..?”

“No.” Junhee turned away a little, heat on his face. He took a breath, gritted his teeth and steeled himself. Still, it didn’t stop him making a squeak of pain as he wrenched the thing out of his thigh, nor stop his eyes watering as it stung like fire afterwards. Blood began to mix with the green ooze.

“That need to be treated.” Junhee ignored Donghun, and that made him scoff loudly. “Stop being stubborn.”

He couldn’t back away inside this little dome, and Donghun sat next to him on his knees. He drew out his dagger – Junhee flinched – and in one deft movement pinned Junhee’s leg with one hand and sliced open the material of his pants a little on the inside of his thigh. Despite himself, Junhee flushed hard.

Donghun reached into the pouch in which he had been collecting medicinal flowers that evening. From it, he withdrew a sprig of bluebells, snapping the flower heads from the stem and crushing them in his fingers. Without hesitation, he pressed the purple petals against Junhee’s sting, hand curled far too high around Junhee’s inner thigh.

The pain started to fade, but Junhee wished it wouldn’t, because right now it was the only barrier stopping his _traitorous_ body from getting turned on.

Thankfully, Donghun didn’t keep his hand there long – and Junhee was glad, because blood had rushed to meet it – and was rushing higher. Donghun, however, seemed oblivious to Junhee’s squirming, and just brushed the petals from his thumb.

“It’ll go down by the morning.” Donghun looked up at the ever-incensed insects in the air above them. He scowled. “Vespas are notorious for being relentless with their targets. They’ll fuck off in the morning because they hate heat and sunlight, but… They’re not going to leave us alone. And we can’t drag ourselves back to the house because it’ll just bring them there. I’d kill them, but they’re important to the ecosystem.” He shot Junhee a faintly apologetic look. “Afraid we’re going to need to sleep out here until sunrise.”

Junhee watched one angry insect hurl itself at the barrier over and over. “That’s fine with me. I really don’t want to try pissing those things off any more.” He shrugged. “I’m kind of tired anyway, I could sleep.”

“Then get some rest.” Donghun flopped down on his back, eyes following the dark buzzing creatures overhead.

“Are you able to sleep and keep this thing..?” Junhee glanced at their invisible shield and Donghun nodded.

“Yeah, don’t worry.”

And with that, Junhee lay down, nestling into the thick grass and finding a spot among the flowers. It wasn’t entirely uncomfortable. He turned his head away, closing his eyes. He didn’t want to think about the hot lance of arousal that was only now leaving his body. _It must be the flowers messing with my head,_ he decided.

And with that, he let himself drift into a shallow sleep, filled with dreams of strange creatures.

It was fitful rest. He found it hard to sleep with the insistent humming of the vespas around them, hard to get comfortable enough to crash out. He opened his eyes, and his breath caught.

The top of the dome around them had become a starscape. It was jet black, filled with gold twinkling lights and shooting stars and silver moons. The whole thing glistened, the most beautiful night sky Junhee had ever seen.

He stole a look at Donghun. The other boy lay on his back - unwilling or unable to sleep, Junhee wasn’t sure. He was clearly unaware of being watched and had one finger raised as he absently played with his creation. As his finger made tiny movements, lines of silver joined up stars into constellations.

Even with that magical night sky above them, Junhee couldn’t stop himself watching Donghun. It was unfair, Junhee thought. Unfair how breath-taking he was just lying there, oblivious to being watched.

His wings were spread on the ground beneath him, all gold and full of stars. His dark eyes glittered with the reflection of the lights he ushered into existence. All Junhee wanted to do was make constellations out of those gold marks on his skin, trace one finger and link them all up…

There was something deep and warm and ebbing in Junhee’s stomach. And this time, it wasn’t the dizzying effect of the flowers, and it wasn’t even that leaking, hot lust that, _fuck_ , he had to admit kept washing through him in great waves. And that in itself, _that_ was spinning out his head, because was it even right? Was it okay that he kept losing himself on Donghun’s body, kept undressing him with his eyes, kept – in the peaks of those flower-crazed highs – imagining the two of them clawing at each other, all breathy desire and arched backs? Was that okay, when Donghun… wasn’t even human?

But no, that wasn’t even the feeling now. The warmth was different, this one was softer, gentler, and yet somehow more powerful. It just made him want to be close to him. To tease out those rare, crystalline laughs. And Junhee had a distinct certainty that this had nothing to do with the impact of the magic around him.

And that was far scarier.

“Are you okay?”

Junhee flinched, even though Donghun’s words were quiet. Zoning out with his thoughts, he hadn’t noticed him look at him, and he rushed to smile.

“Yeah, yeah. Just can’t sleep, a little cold,” he lied quickly.

Donghun nodded. Abandoning his starscape, he flicked a finger, and little glass spheres popped into existence in the air around Junhee. Little flames licked at their insides.

“No, it’s okay.” Junhee pushed himself onto his elbows. “You’re already holding this thing up all night. You’ll be exhausted.” Donghun shrugged and Junhee watched him closely. “You barely slept last night either. Please.” He hesitated. “I know you’re used to looking after everyone at your own expense, but you don’t have to do that for me.”

Donghun’s eyes were surprised, but he hid it quickly. Reluctantly, he let the flames die.

Instead, he shifted up to Junhee, and pulled him in close. It banished the chill, and it stopped Junhee’s heart.

God, he couldn’t help it, and in the morning, he would blame it on the cold. He turned and coiled himself over Donghun, rested his head on his chest, and held on tight, all the way through the night.

~

Junhee sat out by the lake alone once they returned the following morning. He had woken up, all tangled up with Donghun, the other boy’s arm around him and his hand curled around Junhee’s shoulder. For a long time, Junhee hadn’t wanted to move, because he could feel Donghun’s cheek resting against his head as he slept. And he knew, he _knew_ it didn’t mean anything – that boy just wanted to keep him warm and comfortable – but just being against him filled Junhee with a peaceful glow that he never wanted to end.

He skimmed a stone on the lake. He had to admit it.

Maybe he was falling. Hard.

He sighed, flicking a wrist to send another stone bouncing on the water. Admitting it was one thing, but there was no point dwelling on it. For starters, it probably was illegal, or immoral, or something..? And no matter the little thrill that ran through his body at the thought of something illicit, he really wasn’t sure what kind of rocky ground he was on here.

And secondly, he knew that as soon as he was strong enough, he would return home, and Neverland – and Donghun - would be inaccessible, a memory.

Best not to fall _too_ hard.

It was deep in these thoughts when a hand clamped hard over his mouth.

Junhee exclaimed, but the noise died against the palm shoved over his lips. Sudden flashbacks hit him of being jumped in that alleyway. And just like that night, painful hands wrenched him sideways.

He looked up into the eyes of the man holding him, and all the blood drained from his face.

Captain Hongjoong sneered, eyes glittering, and then a blow to the head knocked Junhee out cold.

~

Dull, throbbing pain. It was his head this time, but as Junhee came to, he felt a deep sense of déjà vu.

But this time, he hadn’t woken up in that comfortable wooden house, surrounded by the Lost Boys.

The ship creaked around him, great black sails rippling in the ocean winds. His wrists were lashed, rope cutting into his skin, binding him to the ebony wood of the mizzen mast of _The Crescent_. Icy panic rose in Junhee’s throat, but his cries were muted by the thick strip of linen stuffed between his teeth and tied behind his head. Instead, tears of fear prickled his eyes.

“Oh, _do_ keep it down.”

The staccato of Hongjoong’s boots on the deck injected fright into Junhee as he approached. Junhee tugged helplessly at his bindings, his feet slipping on the slick black wood. Hongjoong tutted; beneath the hat and mask, Junhee could only make out his grinning eyes.

“We like our humans _quiet_ around here. Don’t make me have to ask Jongho to do some silencing.”

Another of the pirates, in the same dark attire, joined Hongjoong. He was taller, all thick arms and muscly shoulders. He cracked his knuckles, one by one.

Junhee fell silent.

“That’s better. Now-” Hongjoong turned, wandering away across the deck, and waved a lazy hand. “I’d love to stay and chat, but I have things to do. Seonghwa? He’s in your capable hands, my dear. You know what to do.”

A slim, tall pirate appeared at the edge of Junhee’s vision, and when he put a hand on Junhee’s shoulder, it felt like black ice. Junhee could make out a trace of white blonde hair beneath his hat, and a ropey scar that slashed across one eye.

He drew out a hair-fine needle.

Despite himself, Junhee began to whimper into the linen gag again, scrabbling to get away. But the bindings were tight, and all his desperate tugging earned him was a smack around the face. He sagged against the mast, a warm trickle tickling his temple.

“Bleeding already? That’s a good start.” The man’s voice was silky sharp. “Now hold still, and this will be easier for us all.”

It was a tiny prick, one Junhee barely felt, but he looked down in desperate horror as the vial began to fill. Seonghwa’s eyes flashed, all malicious hunger, and in minutes four more needles were hooked up to Junhee’s arms, dripping red into glass decanters that Seonghwa set hanging in midair with a flick of his wrist.

It didn’t take long for the lightheaded-ness to come on in earnest. Seonghwa was joined by two other masked men, and they sat around on the deck, half watching Junhee and half laughing over some cruel joke that he couldn’t hear.

For an hour, the blood dripped, slowly, from his body.

Everything was going white and hazy. Junhee legs had long since buckled, and he was left hanging limply by his bound hands. He willed his eyes to stay open, willed himself not to faint – but it was growing harder, because it felt like all the energy keeping him alive was rapidly flooding away.

He tried calling out, and it was a weak cry. Tears began to dampen the linen. Everything felt like it was floating, he couldn’t feel his feet, all he knew is that it was Donghun’s name on his lips as he tried to call out before the mist claimed him.

One of the pirates approached him, laughing darkly. He tilted Junhee’s chin up harshly, tracing a knife against his throat…

A thick, razor-sharp blade burst forward through the pirate’s chest as he was stabbed clean through.

Donghun growled as he twisted his blood-slicked dagger, hard. He planted a foot on the pirate’s back and kicked him off his blade, where the body crumpled in a dark red pool.

And suddenly three sets of hands were pulling the needles from Junhee’s body, slicing through the ties that held him in place. He collapsed into Sehyoon’s arms, and then he was set down, all three of Byeongkwan, Sehyoon and Yuchan cupping his broken skin and immediately beginning to work on healing him.

Junhee pushed himself up to sitting, despite everything.

Donghun fought off the other pirates, but approaching footsteps sounded the arrival of the remaining – and soon there were six of them, swords drawn. But Donghun had his wings, and he leaped away from their slices into the air, hurling magic at them and cleaning them off their feet.

“I’m fine,” Junhee croaked, hoarse. “Help him!”

Byeongkwan was on his feet; Yuchan and Sehyoon refused to leave Junhee’s side. Soon, Byeongkwan and Donghun were back to back, blades in both hands, the air around them crackling with magic.

In the face of these two, the pirates began to back off. But a pair of sauntering footsteps appeared once again.

“Always been the _murdering_ type, haven’t you, Donghun, dearest?”

If looks could kill, Donghun would have had Hongjoong incinerated on the spot.

“Tsk. You actually _killed_ one of my boys?” The captain looked down at the body on the floor by Donghun’s feet. “And you claim you’re the goodies…”

Junhee flinched as a bang echoed across the ship, and suddenly there was smoke and sparks. As it cleared, Hongjoong folded his arms, protected inside a bubble with his remaining men.

“You hurt him.” Donghun’s voice quivered with rage, a streak of dark blood splashed on his face. “I’ll kill you for hurting him.”

“Hm, it’s funny, you seem to say that every time you see me, but you never do…” Hongjoong’s voice was dripping in feigned boredom. “It’s getting a little tedious to be honest, Lost Boy. I’d say you don’t have it in you, but…” He sighed melodramatically, looking down at the dead pirate at Donghun’s feet. “Well, hardly your first.”

Donghun threw the dagger so hard the air cracked; it split the wood of the mast an inch to the right of Hongjoong’s head.

“Ah, but this time it’s about _him_ , isn’t it?” Hongjoong’s eyes turned to Junhee, who skittered back where he sat, terrified. Yuchan and Sehyoon put up protective arms. Hongjoong chuckled, turning back to Donghun. “I can’t say I’m surprised. You’ve _always_ had a penchant for human boys, haven’t you, Lost Boy?” Junhee looked at Donghun quickly; his eyes were fire. Hongjoong continued, his voice dripping in sickening fake sympathy; it was pure poison. “Ah, how you tried _so hard_ to make that last boy one of your little gang… but oh, what a pity the end he came to.”

Another flash of energy lit lightning in the air around them.

“That was a long time ago.” Donghun’s voice was nothing more than a growl, but there was something else, something else in his eyes-

“Whatever makes you feel better, darling. I just didn’t think you seemed the sort to make the same mistake twice-”

He was cut off, because Donghun and Byeongkwan leaped for him at the same moment.

Hongjoong raised a hand, and Byeongkwan was cleaned off his feet. Junhee leaped as he hit the deck with a slam.

“What?!” Yuchan grabbed at Sehyoon’s sleeve. “How’s he holding them off?!”

Sehyoon pulled Junhee to his feet, dragging both him and Yuchan as far from the clash as possible. “He shouldn’t be this strong.” Sehyoon took Junhee’s arm. “We have to go. Donghun told me to get you out of here.”

“We can’t leave them!” Junhee yanked his arm back, even though weakness threatened his ability to stand.

Byeongkwan was back on his feet, seven pirates bearing down on him. Donghun threw his magic at Hongjoong – but he held up his defence. His lips curled into a smile, and he lifted a single finger.

Donghun was flung into the floor so hard he rolled twice, and fell still.

“ _Donghun!”_ Junhee’s yell sounded in time with Yuchan’s.

Two pirates grabbed Sehyoon and Byeongkwan and kicked their feet out from underneath them, pushing their faces into the deck. And then rough hands were grappling Junhee, dragging him clean off his feet, a hand pressed against his mouth.

Hongjoong approached Donghun at a slow walk. The henchmen all jostled to watch their captain, revelling in the still form of the Lost Boys’ leader.

He hooked up Donghun’s chin with the toe of his boot. Junhee squirmed in his captor’s arms desperately, eyes wide in terror. His shouts were muffled.

For a moment, Donghun’s dark eyes met his.

“I knew you didn’t have it in you, darling.” The captain smiled down at Donghun. “That soft heart really will be the _death_ of you, you know. And you thought you could keep this human boy all to yourself?” He gave a low laugh, sauntering over to where his henchman held Junhee up, and trailed a languid finger across Junhee’s damp cheek. “His blood will taste all the sweeter knowing I took it from you.”

Donghun’s face twitched, once.

And then he threw out both hands, and the world imploded in on itself.

Everything went white. Then black.

Everything was silent.

And then it exploded with an earth-shattering bang.

Then the ship around them materialised again, and Hongjoong lay sprawled on his front far from where he had stood. His men, too, crumpled.

Junhee fell to the floor as he was dropped, his knees hitting the deck. Instantly, Byeongkwan was next to him, already back on his feet, dragging him up. Sehyoon and Yuchan ran to join them.

For a moment, Donghun knelt, unmoving, his hands still thrown out in front of himself. His wings, out behind him, began to fade, like the light itself was being sapped from them. Then, eyes fluttering shut, he collapsed.

“ _Hun_!” All four of them ran to his side, and Junhee’s heart restarted beating at twice the speed. Byeongkwan turned Donghun over, but he didn’t respond, no matter how many times they called his name. The colour was gone from his face, lips slightly parted.

“No, _no_ , Hun!” Byeongkwan shook him still, panic seeping through his words.

It was the fear in Sehyoon’s ever-calm voice that jolted Junhee like electric.

“His wings are fading.”

And he was right – normally bright and luminous, Donghun’s wings were dimming to nearly nothing, barely visible.

“What’s happening?” Junhee gasped, panic in his voice. “What does that mean?”

“Wings fade if magical energy drops low.” Byeongkwan’s face was unreadable. “It’s what happens when… when one of us dies.”

Junhee’s world turned upside down, fast.

“We need to go!” Byeongkwan pulled Donghun’s limp form over his shoulder, glancing at the pirates scattered across the deck. A couple moved limply; Captain Hongjoong was one of them. “Now!”

The flight was fast; _The Crescent_ wasn’t far out to sea. Sehyoon let go of Junhee as soon as they were back on land outside the house, running with Byeongkwan to carry Donghun to one of their beds.

Yuchan was already crying.

Sehyoon was immediately throwing together medicines, snatching up jars and fresh flowers. Byeongkwan searched Donghun’s unconscious body, but there were no wounds, nothing physical he could reach out and heal. Junhee hung back with Yuchan, helpless.

Sehyoon passed the jar to Byeongkwan, who blinked back tears as he poured it forcibly down Donghun’s throat. “You fucking idiot,” he said, his voice shaking – Junhee hated it, hating hearing fear in one so confident. “You complete fucking idiot, why did you have to protect us by killing yourself?”

Once the medicine had been forced into Donghun, there was nothing else they could do. The four of them waited, frozen in helplessness, until Yuchan broke down in earnest tears.

“Junhee, are you okay?” Sehyoon said, an arm around the young redhead.

Numb, Junhee nodded. “A little faint. But I’m fine.” His voice cracked.

Sehyoon nodded. “Then all we can do is wait.”

Junhee couldn’t drag his eyes from Donghun, and his pale face.

“What if I gave him my blood?” The others looked at Junhee, blank. He swallowed. “It’s precious, and it restores magic… right? Like what the pirates wanted?”

“No.” Byeongkwan’s voice was firm. “Definitely not. You’re right but… It’s way more taboo than that. Donghun would never… He would rather die than accept that.”

Junhee’s hope was dashed.

Byeongkwan caught his attention when he wobbled a little. Yuchan, too, looked pale, through his tears. It dawned on Junhee: they had flown at speed, and fought, and used their magic to heal and fend off the pirates…

“You need to rest.” His voice was firm, even though he was afraid. “Before you collapse too.” He swallowed. “I’ll watch over Donghun.”

“Junhee-”

“Go.” He nodded, once, even though his hands shook. “If anything changes, I’ll fetch you.”

And so, weary, the other boys collapsed into their beds, Yuchan following Byeongkwan into his and curling up beside him.

Junhee drew up a chair next to Donghun. And, finally, alone, the tears came.

The strength of them caught him off-guard. Sudden sobs racked his chest, he couldn’t draw his breath, his heart hurt. With shaking hands, he cupped Donghun’s cheek; he was burning up, a fever bubbling beneath his skin. Junhee gasped through his tears, pushing back Donghun’s hair from his forehead, placing a cool hand there. God, _why_ couldn’t he heal him the way Donghun had done for him? Why couldn’t he have a way to save him, the way Donghun kept saving him, because he couldn’t die, he couldn’t watch him die, his heart was breaking and he just couldn’t…

The fever built across Donghun’s forehead. Still, his wings wilted, barely an outline. Junhee scrabbled through the house for a cold compress, and returned, pressing it to Donghun’s head. He was burning up, his breathing ragged, sweat soaking through his clothes.

Junhee could barely see through his tears, could barely make his trembling fingers work. He just kept pushing his hair back, and then scrabbled to remove Donghun’s sweat-stained shirt, because he didn’t know how to heal anyone but he knew he had to stop him from burning up. For hours, he just sat with him, clasping his hand, praying.

Evening drew in and darkness fell, and Junhee sat illuminated only by the light of the three moons pouring through the open window. He was exhausted – he’d lost so much blood – but he couldn’t sleep, couldn’t leave him. Tears came, and then dried up, and then built and fell once more.

He was afraid, afraid of what the night could bring, afraid that he had caused this, afraid because he had so many deep feelings that had grown so fast for this boy who lay here, clinging onto life. Junhee gasped on a sob, and with a gentle thumb, brushed the little gold fleck that marked Donghun’s bottom lip.

Eventually, the weariness and the pain started to drag Junhee down. It became too much to hold himself up, too much to fight the exhaustion. He lay his cheek against Donghun’s bare chest. The tingling he was so used to when their skin touched flittered weakly, and Junhee pressed his eyes shut, tears leaking between his lashes. He prayed that it was a sign that magic still flowed in Donghun’s veins yet.

｡･:*:･ﾟ★,｡･:*:･ﾟ☆ End of Part IV ｡･:*:･ﾟ★,｡･:*:･ﾟ☆

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Well, it couldn't be all sunshine and flowers forever...
> 
> Thank you so much for your feedback and kindness so far - it really is the lifeblood of this story and spurs me on. Thank you!
> 
> With love,  
> The Indigo Dragonfly
> 
> ~
> 
> Part V: coming soon


	5. Part V

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Just as Junhee started to accept the feelings he harbours for Donghun, Captain Hongjoong and his men kidnapped him and held him hostage. The Lost Boys saved him, but at a price - and now Donghun lies unconscious, life slipping through his fingers...

Junhee woke up in the early morning. Sunlight filtered onto his face, and for a moment he was free from memories. Then fear reverberated through his body as he remembered the night before.

He opened his eyes. He was still fast asleep on Donghun’s chest, and his head shot up.

“Hun?” he whispered. Donghun was still, eyes closed.

Junhee’s heart skipped a beat. He moved to sit on the side of the bed and put a hand to Donghun’s forehead: his fever had broken. His breathing was still shallow, but it didn’t draw ragged with each rise of his chest.

And there, so slightly, his gold wings shone a little brighter.

“Please…” Tears welled fast in Junhee’s eyes, desperately hoping that he was right, that this was a positive sign. He cupped Donghun’s cheek, droplets tracking down his face.

The boy’s eyes fluttered open.

“Donghun,” Junhee choked, emotion flooding his throat. Those dark eyes found his, hazy, blinking heavily.

The relief was too much, too intense – Junhee’s shoulders shook as he broke down in tears, and leaned over Donghun to let his forehead rest on his shoulder. Weak fingers touched his back and he looked up again. Donghun’s hand slipped from him, so he held it instead.

“I thought you were going to die.” It left Junhee as a high, desperate cry, and the tiniest glimmer of a smile passed over Donghun’s face.

“…Can’t… get rid of me just yet…”

Junhee stared at him through his tears, stared at his stupid humour, _now_ of all times. He wanted to hit him, hit him for scaring him so much, for scaring the others, hit him for nearly killing himself to save them. And instead, he just stroked his cheek, and Donghun’s hand weakly found Junhee’s waist.

“Hun!”

Byeongkwan ran into the room and practically fell down at Donghun’s side. Colour had returned to his face after getting some rest. His eyes shone, and he let out a string of curses that switched languages several times in the duration. Donghun snorted softly. And then Sehyoon was there, smiling, Yuchan was on top of them all, loud and happy, and Junhee watched this little family, all but drowning in relief.

~

“Are you sure you’re okay to stay with him again?”

Byeongkwan leaned in the doorway of the bedroom, and Junhee smiled to reassure him.

“Of course. You all have lots to do – and it’s not like I can be of much help with anything else.” He waved Byeongkwan away. “Go on.”

“Okay. I’ll be right outside.”

In the days since they had rescued Junhee from _The Crescent_ , the Lost Boys had refused to let him out of their sight. And Junhee appreciated it; every noise made him jump, every pair of footsteps made his pulse race. But inside the wooden house, he felt safe, at least. And he didn’t mind at all that he was spending his days looking after Donghun.

He turned back to him now. He was fast asleep, as he spent most of each day. Occasionally, he roused, albeit briefly, and murmured about him being okay, and how they mustn’t fuss about him. Junhee had always considered himself stoic but god, it was nothing on Donghun.

He busied himself now with the jars of petals in the window. On the first day, Sehyoon had sat with him, teaching him their properties and how to use them. It was fascinating, and Junhee had been a fast student. And in a way, it lifted his heart to know he was being helpful – and perhaps in the smallest way, returning the favour of Donghun saving his life. Twice.

There was a little rustling behind him, and Junhee turned to find Donghun had woken up.

“Hey. How are you feeling?”

Donghun’s sleepy eyes blinked heavily; a faint pout knitted his eyebrows. In any other circumstances, it would have been cute as hell.

“Mh.” He shifted lethargically as Junhee brought him a glass of water. He slipped a hand behind Donghun’s head, helping him sit up enough to drink. It was laced with forget-me-not petals and Donghun grimaced at the bitter taste.

“Careful,” Junhee soothed, as he lay back down and closed his eyes. “Take it easy.”

“My head hurts.” It was a soft little whine.

“I’m sorry.” He reached out and brushed Donghun’s hair from his face. “You’re going to feel a little better every day. I promise.”

“But it hurts…” he lamented, and this time Junhee couldn’t help it, he melted at how endearing it was. He had a feeling Donghun was just being whiny for the attention, and he couldn’t fight the amused smile off his face.

“Your poor thing,” he indulged, and reached out to stroke Donghun’s forehead. He switched to massaging his temples with his thumb, and Donghun made a murmur of relief. Junhee pressed little circles for a minute, and then withdrew his hand, but the frown reappeared.

“Don’t stop.” Donghun’s sleepy hand found Junhee’s knee. “Not ‘til I’m asleep again.”

“God, I’m starting to see that ‘leader’s authority’ coming through…” he teased, but dutifully kept up his stroking until he was certain Donghun had dropped off to sleep once again.

In the late afternoon, Sehyoon took his place, and Junhee headed outside to stretch his legs. He smiled as he found Yuchan skimming stones on the lake – a little magic behind the flick of his wrist sent the stones hopping on the water at least a dozen times. The redhead looked happy as Junhee joined him.

“Hey Junhee!” He split his pile of pebbles in half and pushed some towards Junhee, who sat and joined his skimming. “How’s he doing?”

“Better – well enough to be needy.” Junhee smiled. “His wings look brighter than yesterday too.”

“That makes me happy.” Yuchan flicked his wrist; the stone leaped across the lake, almost reaching the other side. “I don’t know what I’d have done if he’d… y’know…”

Junhee nodded. “He’s really like a big brother to you, huh.”

“Yeah. Or a mother, father and a brother rolled into one, since I have none of those.”

Junhee glanced at him sympathetically. “I’m sorry.”

“It’s okay!” He smiled brightly in reassurance. “It was a long time ago. I had a similar start in life to Donghun. Lost all my family, ended up on my own when I was young… Only he was strong and I’m not, so I’m glad he found me.” Yuchan sighed. “I’m gonna be strong like him one day though. And brave, too.”

Junhee thought back to the alleyway: the way Yuchan had dived in, alone, to protect Junhee, even before the others had joined him. He’d been cleaned off his feet, but there was no questioning his courage.

“You’re already brave, Yuchan.” Junhee gave him a warm smile as Yuchan looked surprised.

“Thanks.”

They sat quietly for a little while, flinging stones across the lake. As ever, Junhee replayed the fight on _The Crescent_ again in his head. It was foggy, but he couldn’t stop the scene repeating in his mind’s eye. Something that had been troubling him came up again – and he hesitated over his words.

“Can I ask you something, Yuchan?” he said slowly.

“Of course!”

Junhee paused. “Captain Hongjoong said something to Donghun… Something about him having a penchant for… human boys.” Junhee’s cheeks betrayed him by turning pink. The pirate’s callous drawl played in his head once again: _how you tried so hard to make that last boy one of your little gang… but oh, what a pity the end he came to._ “Has… have you had humans here before?”

Yuchan swallowed, considering his words. “Only one. And it was a _long_ time ago.” He looked at Junhee, thoughtful. “We didn’t bring him here – that’s a whole other story – but we ended up taking him in. And for a long time, he sort of… became one of us. He was part of the family.” Junhee felt a twinge of jealousy, and then hated himself for it. “And Hongjoong, what he said… Well, Donghun fell completely in love with him. Like _, crazy_ in love.” Yuchan’s eyes were lit up, entertained by his own story. “Not that it wasn’t reciprocated. They were inseparable.”

Oh, now _there_ was the jealousy – and this time it didn’t twinge, it seethed.

“What happened?” Junhee kept his voice light.

Yuchan looked suddenly sad, his eyes across the lake. Junhee felt a rush of guilt for being so selfish in his emotions. “He… changed. He had always been fascinated in the way magic worked, but he started to get really… _hungry_ for a way to get that power himself.” He sighed again. “It was around the same time the Ateez pirates were consumed by their lust for strength. And in the end, he went to them. Convinced that somehow they could make each other stronger. Completely betrayed us, turned on us – turned against Donghun. Skies, the way it broke his heart…”

Junhee’s own heart twisted. Poor Donghun…

“It was our first fight with the pirates. They ransacked Neverland for flowers, and hurt a lot of innocent creatures… And in that fight, that boy was out to kill us. So twisted up in his dark desires and his hate.” Yuchan looked at Junhee. “He was so close to hurting Sehyoon. And so Donghun had no choice. He saw what he had to do to save Sehyoon… and he ran that boy clean through with a dagger.”

“What..?” Junhee stared at Yuchan, sorrow flooding his chest. “He had to kill him… even though..?”

“Even though he loved him? Yeah.” Yuchan went back to skimming stones. “So when Byeongkwan said Donghun is tough because he has to be… Now you kinda see what he meant.”

Junhee stared into the water, unseeing. It was tragic, beyond tragic – he could only imagine the split second Donghun had known the choice he had to make to save his friends. Only imagine the pain of being betrayed by someone he loved so much, of being thrown away for the pursuit of power instead.

“But you don’t have to worry, that was a long, _long_ time ago. He’s moved on.”

Junhee stopped, and looked up at Yuchan with a frown. “Why… would I worry about that?” he asked slowly, and Yuchan immediately flushed red.

“I, er…” He stammered, laughing awkwardly. “I’m just saying it doesn’t mean he doesn’t like you. Or does... I’m not saying… Aha.” He cringed, and Junhee spared him by looking away and going back to skimming stones.

~

Another few days came and went, and Junhee made himself as useful as possible. In terms of his own recovery, he was finally feeling like he was almost back to his full strength. He did not, however, want to dwell on that – or the guilty way he wasn’t missing home – so he kept his mind occupied with whatever tasks the Lost Boys gave him.

At the end of a long day of hunting down a rare blue flower that Byeongkwan needed, the two of them sat down in a meadow a little way downhill from the house. Junhee enjoyed this petite boy’s company – he was scarily intelligent, perceptive and open, and Junhee learned from his lessons on wildflowers. As they chatted, cherry blossoms fluttered on the evening breeze.

They were interrupted by soft footsteps on the grass behind them.

Junhee looked over his shoulder, and he jumped in surprise.

“Donghun!”

“Alright, no need to look like you’ve seen a ghost.” The gold-flecked boy scowled a little, but spared a smile for Byeongkwan. “Sehyoon told me you were down here.”

“Are you feeling well enough to be walking outside… by yourself?” There was a hint of admonishment in Byeongkwan’s voice, but the shine in his eyes betrayed his relief at seeing their friend back on his feet.

“I’m fine. Can’t stay cooped up forever.” Donghun’s eyes flickered to Junhee. “Even if I’ve enjoyed being waited on.”

Junhee scoffed. “I see our patient is feeling better, so he won’t be needing that anymore…”

Byeongkwan watched them both, an unreadable expression on his face. “Listen, I’m going to go back and start making some food. Junhee, make sure he doesn’t push himself. He’s an idiot, after all.”

Junhee reassured him as he began to walk back up the sloping meadows, and Donghun sat down next to him.

“Are you okay?” Donghun’s expression was sincere, his voice quiet, and it caught Junhee off-guard.

“Y-yeah. Of course.” He smiled.

“But they didn’t hurt you? And you’ve got your strength back? You lost a lot of blood that day-”

“Hun.” Junhee used his nickname to quiet him, but privately savoured this little step towards closeness between them. “You’ve been on your deathbed for over a week, and you’re worried about me?” He smiled. “I’m fine. I’m just glad you’re okay.” He bit his lip. “You… you really scared me.”

Donghun’s face was difficult to read. “I’m sorry.”

“Well, you saved my life. Again.” Junhee shook his head. “‘Thank you’ feels a bit weak, to be honest.”

“And you looked after me. So… thank you too.”

Their eyes met, and they both looked away in unison. Junhee had a mess of words in his head, all jostling for a position on his tongue, and he ended up not really being able to say anything.

“I guess we need to get you home as soon as we can.” Donghun’s words flipped over Junhee’s stomach. “You’re not safe here, and I won’t let those bastards hurt you.”

Junhee paused, summoning his bravery. “…Is it bad for me to say I’m not excited to hear that..?”

“You don’t want to go home?” Donghun hesitated, uncharacteristically cautious. “Why not?”

Junhee looked at him. Looked at the pretty curls of hair in his eyes, the shining points of gold on his skin, looked at his handsome face and the curve of his throat.

_Because of you_ , he wanted to reply.

Instead, he just shook his head and lifted his shoulders in a faint shrug.

“Come on,” Donghun said, his tone changing. He got to his feet, and held out a hand to Junhee. “I want to show you somewhere.”

“Somewhere?” Junhee echoed. “Are you well enough to be-?”

“I’m fine. Come on, don’t you know me yet? I’m tougher than any of you.” With that, Junhee rolled his eyes and his lips quirked, and he dutifully fell into step with Donghun.

He led him up the slope of the land, past the wooden house, past the perimeter of the forest than ran behind it. Instead, the ground they walked on began to incline sharply – a rocky path that seemed to lead up into the snowy mountains beyond.

“Where are we going?” Junhee asked, a little breathless, as the path wound higher and higher and the air grew colder.

“Here.”

Donghun stopped ahead, his hands on his hips, as he waited for Junhee to catch him up. And when he did, he stopped dead.

The craggy rocks around them split, allowing passageway into a high mountain plain that smoothed out flat among the otherwise steep terrain. And the entire space, every last speck of ground, was filled to bursting with a thousand rainbow tulips. Topaz oranges, sapphire blues, garnet reds, amethyst purples. They raised their blossoms towards a sky that split into the ribbons of a spectacular blush pink sunset.

Junhee’s breath was completely stolen. He had never seen anything more beautiful.

“What… is this place?” he managed, emotion choking his throat. He stepped forward, hesitantly, flowers brushing his ankles and his fingers as he trailed through their silk petals.

“I’ve cultivated this place for years.” Donghun’s voice came from behind him. “Tulips are actually rare, here in Neverland. I guess that’s one of the reasons I love them so much. This place… I started with one single seed.”

Junhee turned to look at him; inexplicable tears in his eyes.

“And now, this is a reservoir of magic – somewhere we can fall back on, if we need it.” Donghun smiled. “But as well as that… It’s just beautiful.”

“It is,” Junhee agreed, and he watched Donghun jump onto his wings and land ahead of him in the flowers, a little cloud of pollen puffing out around him. A happy smile split his face, and Junhee filled with warmth.

As he stepped forward, Donghun reached out a hand, and Junhee took it.

A deep sense of hope, of peace, settled over Junhee as they stopped in the centre of the tulips. It wasn’t that normal giddiness – it was far purer. He simply felt safe.

Donghun turned back to him, still holding his hand. “This is the only place where I feel like nothing can hurt me.”

Junhee watched him. Those dark eyes were fixed on his face, and it rooted him to the spot, left him breathless. He couldn’t move if he tried, even if he wanted to. He just stayed frozen, until Donghun’s hand left his fingers and curled around Junhee’s waist, pulling him closer.

He stopped, a hair’s breadth from Junhee’s lips.

Junhee’s breath had stopped. He drank in his face, this close. His hands found the small of Donghun’s back, pressing hard. In return, Donghun’s fingers coiled into the back of Junhee’s hair. Heat flooded Junhee’s body – everything was static – as they just held each other, holding back, until every cell in Junhee’s body screamed for him, begging, desperate-

And Donghun caught his lips, his kiss strong, and deep, and electric.

Junhee had never kissed someone so desperately. It was all he wanted. The soft skin of Donghun’s lips, and then all the warm heat of his tongue curling against his. And _fucking hell_ , Donghun kissed like it mattered, kissed like it might be the last time, kissed like he wanted all of Junhee, now _, always._

His fingers left Junhee’s hair and took his face in both hands, catching his bottom lip between his teeth… And then his lips grazed Junhee’s jaw, his throat, pressing kisses into the juncture of his neck and shoulder. Junhee swayed, drenched in pleasure, absolutely intoxicated on him. He pulled up Donghun’s chin and found his mouth again. Because if he was used to the way Donghun’s hands on him made him feel sparks, it was nothing, _nothing_ compared to the feeling of his mouth melting into his.

He let out a sound against Donghun’s lips; and in response he got hitched closer, and _fuck_ it made him feel like fire. He welcomed the hands that touched him, pressing into Donghun harder, a silent beg for him to _never stop_ finding places to touch. His own hands tugged at Donghun’s waist, grabbed his hips. And still Donghun kissed him hard, so hard-

They both gasped as they broke apart. Junhee’s entire body trembled, and Donghun smiled at him, lifting a thumb to brush his cheek.

And Junhee couldn’t remember feeling this way in all his life.

Under the multihued sunset, they held each other tight. And as Junhee tilted his head against Donghun’s neck, where his pulse pounded strong, he could have sworn to god their racing hearts beat in time.

｡･:*:･ﾟ★,｡･:*:･ﾟ☆ End of Part V ｡･:*:･ﾟ★,｡･:*:･ﾟ☆

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> One heck of a first kiss, boys...
> 
> I'm enjoying writing this so much, thank you as always for reading. Even if one person enjoys my stories, I'm so happy. So if you're reading this - thank you so much.
> 
> With love,  
> The Indigo Dragonfly
> 
> ~
> 
> Part VI: coming soon


	6. Part VI

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Donghun has slowly recovered from the injuries he sustained aboard The Crescent, watched over by Junhee. And up on the spectacular plain of tulips, their feelings have finally blossomed to fruition.
> 
> It's all too easy to forget about danger in the arms of someone you love...

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> A reminder that some mature themes lie ahead (all listed in the story tags)!

Junhee tried to smooth his face of any expression as he walked back into the house where Sehyoon and Byeongkwan were preparing a late supper. But his lips felt swollen from Donghun’s kiss, he feared his hair was dishevelled despite his attempts to tame it, and his heart was still thudding so hard he was surprised the sound of it didn’t announce his entrance.

He chose to get through dinner quietly, not trusting himself to speak. It didn’t help that Donghun’s eyes were near constantly on him, and he pointedly kept his gaze down, quashing the fluttering in his stomach.

It was a relief to finally climb into bed. He bade the others goodnight, and welcomed being able to pull up the blanket and be alone with his thoughts.

He was going home. He was leaving here and he would never come back, and he would have to leave Donghun behind, and so it was stupid but oh _god_ , he couldn’t give a damn about all that right now. He was quite content with irresponsibly shoving all that into some repressed box and chucking the key, and letting all these dizzy rushes consume him. To hell with the consequences.

The feelings in his chest were strong. And most importantly – it was far, far from simple lust. There were emotions, pangs, longings all fighting for prominence and Junhee wasn’t sure he’d ever felt them before. He chose not to even try to identify them.

He was pulled from his thoughts when Donghun came to silently hang on his wings over Junhee’s bed, looking down at him.

Junhee’s lips twitched into a smile. “I’m trying to sleep, you creep,” he whispered.

“And I can’t sleep, so tough.” Still hung in the air, he kissed Junhee softly, and then raised an eyebrow, asking for permission.

Junhee reached up and pulled Donghun down to lay over him. The blanket was between them, but the weight of his body felt nice.

“You looked troubled at supper.” Donghun watched him frankly, keeping his whisper quiet. “You’re okay with this?”

“Yes! Yeah.” Junhee went pink. “Trust me, I’m… more than okay with this.”

Donghun’s lips curled into a smile. “Good. You looked like you were going to choke if you even opened your mouth with the others-”

“Shut up…”

“-it was so funny.” Donghun cackled quietly and Junhee shoved his face.

“Ssssh,” he warned. “You’ll wake Yuchan.”

“It’s fine.” Donghun glanced at the redhead’s bed. “He sleeps like a dead person.”

Junhee gave in as Donghun kissed him, all slow lips and languid tongue. It felt so good, lay on his back, Donghun’s soft weight over him. He found Donghun’s hand, all rough skin and scratches, and broke from the kiss to play with his callous fingers, turning them over and tracing the scars. The gold-touched boy watched him, his expression difficult to read.

Eventually, Donghun pulled Junhee’s hand towards him, kissing each finger in turn. Then his wrist, his forearm, his bicep and his shoulder, and then turned up Junhee’s chin with a gentle hand and pressed his lips against his exposed throat. Junhee shivered.

“I’m so glad I found you.” It burst out of Donghun as a breathy little whisper – and he suddenly looked guarded, like he was afraid he’d said too much.

Junhee ran his thumb over the fleck of gold that sliced through his bottom lip. “I’m glad I found you too.”

Relief and happiness crossed Donghun’s face. He kissed Junhee again, and this time it was keener, faster. He shifted, slipping his knees either side of Junhee, but all it did was lower the rest of his body into Junhee and _ah_ , that little downwards roll of his hips was almost too much. But still Junhee lifted himself into it as they kissed, and again, until they found this slow, tantalising rhythm, and-

“We should stop.”

Junhee opened his eyes to find Donghun very flushed, and very hazy-eyed. He suddenly went warm as he realised what they had been doing.

“Yeah…” he agreed, a guilty smile bleeding onto his face. He glanced nervously to check Yuchan was still asleep.

Two voices competed in his mind: _slow down_ said the first. And the second: _but we don’t have much time._

“Let’s get some sleep… or try to.” Donghun raised an eyebrow and glanced down, and it was so utterly self-satisfied, Junhee scowled and turned red at the same time. It was clear the blanket was doing a poor job of hiding the fact he was achingly hard.

Donghun kissed his cheek with a quiet laugh, brushed back his hair, and peeled himself away.

“Goodnight, little one.”

~

The following couple of days continued like any that came before it. And Junhee was relieved. He knew the way he got in his own head when dynamics changed – and he was happy that Donghun remained unchanged around him. Still keen to talk about flowers. Still stern about working hard. Still a little enigmatic.

But three days after their first kiss, Junhee found himself following Donghun through the forest, lost in his own thoughts. His eyes were down, and he almost banged into Donghun when he stopped in front of him.

“Something’s troubling you.” It was a statement, not a question, and Junhee cringed a little.

“That easy to read, huh…” He sighed, and Donghun held out a hand.

“Come on. I want to tell you something too. Let’s talk.”

Donghun settled Junhee on the high-up branch gently, and despite his nervousness, Junhee smiled. For someone so savage, he could be so tender, too.

“What did you want to talk about?” Junhee asked, keen not to have to explain his thoughts first, because he hadn’t worked out how to express them. Donghun swung his legs absently, a butterfly fluttering around his shoulder.

“I want to be honest with you. Always.”

Junhee started, his pulse quickening. _That’s a heavy start…_

Donghun’s eyes were on the horizon. “I’ve only been in love once in my life. Only, the person I was in love with… wasn’t who I thought he was.” His eyes shadowed with pain.

Junhee hesitated, caught in indecision. But Donghun’s words repeated: _I want to be honest with you…_ He owed him the same.

“I know.” He raised his shoulders with a small smile as Donghun looked up in surprise. “Yuchan told me about what happened.” He swallowed. “I’m so sorry.”

“No, don’t be.” Donghun still watched him closely. He took a deep breath and let it out. “I’m a little relieved that you know. It’s… not a story I like retelling. No matter how long ago it was.” He suddenly looked sad, and Junhee suddenly felt compelled to hold him and hide him from the whole world.

“Pain like that will always be with you, a little. I can’t begin to understand. But… you don’t need to keep it from me. All I wish is that no one had ever hurt you.”

“…Thank you.” Donghun’s eyes were filled with something complex – but above all, relief. He shifted on the branch. “I wanted to explain because… I want you to know me.” He sighed. “And you deserve to know that my past… There’s been some darkness.” His voice went quiet. “You even saw me kill a man.”

“Who was trying to kill me.” Junhee’s voice was firm. He thought back, and that image of Donghun jutting his dagger back out of a dying man burned strong in his memory. “I accept the darkness that comes with you, Donghun. I-” He stopped, the words catching on his tongue. He chose not to continue, before he said something stupid.

They sat quietly, watching the distant ocean.

“What was troubling you?” Donghun looked over again, and Junhee turned away.

“Actually, it was sort of about the same thing.” He paused. “This isn’t a loaded question.” He played with the dandelion that he had tucked into his belt loop. “Do I remind you of that boy?”

“ _No._ ” Donghun’s voice was hard, and firm, answering almost before he finished the question. “You’re nothing like him, Junhee.” Donghun took his hand, running his thumb over Junhee’s knuckles. “The only thing you have in common is where you’re from.” Junhee looked up into his frank face. “Trust me, you… I feel this way about you for _you_. Not because of anyone else.”

A flush of giddiness went through him. _And how is the way you feel? –_ he wanted to ask it, but couldn’t quite summon the courage. Relief, however, presided as the main feeling that washed through his chest.

“I’m glad.” He shot a look at Donghun sidelong, accompanied by a little smirk. “Thought you might just have a thing for human boys…”

Donghun laughed. “It’s a coincidence. I promise.” He leaned close, kissing Junhee’s earlobe. “I only have a thing for you.”

~

Junhee woke up in the middle of the night to a hand on his shoulder. Dreams flittered around his consciousness as he blinked them away, and found Donghun pressing a finger to his lips and holding out his hand. Groggy, Junhee took it, and allowed himself to be pulled out of bed.

The night was warm as they stepped out into it, barefoot. Junhee slowly came around, still clasping the hand Donghun led him by.

“Where are we going?” The three moons cast Neverland in an ethereal white glow, and lit Donghun’s face as he smiled at him.

“I want to show you something.”

They walked in silence for ten minutes, surrounded by the chirpings of the creatures that crept through Neverland under the shield of the night. It was beautiful, seeing this place in the early hours – but Junhee got a sense that Neverland never truly slept. Energy thrummed through the air, always.

“Look.” Donghun slowed to a stop near a lake, smaller than the one near the house. Junhee frowned, puzzled. It was no different to any other lake he’d seen here – dark water reflecting the moonlight, and that was pretty, but…

“No, actually _look_.” Donghun nodded at the dark depths, and Junhee took a step forward to the water’s edge.

For a moment he thought he was looking into a night sky, filled with a hundred thousand fireflies. His eyes widened.

“This is the only place in Neverland where they live.” Donghun smiled, watching the tiny specks of light drift through the water. “Their phosphorescence only lasts for a week of the year, during their mating cycle. And for that week, they glow like this every night.”

Junhee watched in awe. It couldn’t be real, it was just so… _magical._

He looked up as Donghun dipped his toes into the shallows, and stepped into the water. Fully clothed, he walked out until the water reached his calves, and then turned and held out a hand with a smile.

Heart skipping, Junhee took it.

The lake wasn’t deep. Junhee followed Donghun out into the centre, and the water rose to their chests. He let out a little noise of exclamation as the lights began to cluster around them, moving in swirls like an aurora. Donghun watched Junhee’s face light up with a smile, took a breath, and disappeared under the water. Junhee followed him down.

He opened his eyes to an entire galaxy sparkling around him.

The water was crystal clear and lit up in white-gold light. The little lights rose in zephyrs around him, like someone had shattered a diamond and he had somehow stepped inside of it. And through the dazzling glow, Donghun watched him, his hair waving in the water, the gold marks on his face catching the light.

When Junhee resurfaced, he knew with absolute certainty that this would be the most beautiful thing he would ever see.

There was only one thing more beautiful. Water ran down Donghun’s face, moonlight shining off his hair and wet shoulders, eyes glittering, his wings floating like petals out on the water behind him. As tiny shooting stars drifted around him, Junhee had just one hope: that he would never forget how Donghun looked right now.

“There’s a song about this lake that we sing here. I sing it to the flowers sometimes.”

Junhee’s heart ached. “Sing it for me?”

And quietly, he began to sing. It was in a lilting language that Junhee didn’t understand, but still it felt like a lost lullaby, stirring something so deep in his consciousness. Donghun watched the little lights as he sang, his voice so effortlessly hypnotic. The creatures glittered brighter.

He fell silent as the song ended.

Junhee ached.

And quietly, he spoke.

“I think I’m falling in love with you.”

Donghun’s dark eyes looked up at him. The lights continued their swirl. He stepped closer, cupped Junhee’s wet cheek, his stare intense.

“I think I’ve already fallen.”

Their lips met, and nothing else in the world mattered.

Donghun’s arms circled him in the water, and pulled him in, tight. His kiss sent Junhee’s heart thudding, his head spinning. His feelings rushed and spilled, making him breathless as he held Donghun’s face to kiss him harder.

Kissing him felt like pure heaven, but it wasn’t enough. It wasn’t close to being enough.

He pulled at Donghun’s clothes, scrabbling at them as they clung to his soaked body. Fingers tugged at Junhee’s hair and then trailed down his chest, his stomach, his-

_Ah._ Fuck, a simple touch through wet material was enough to make his back arch and a gasp slip from his lips. He reached for Donghun with desperate fingers, and finding him hard filled Junhee with nauseous waves of craving.

They fumbled back out the water and fell onto the lakeside in a tangle of tense limbs. Instantly, Donghun was heavy on top of Junhee again – he scrabbled to crawl over him, reached for his mouth and dragged his teeth across Junhee’s bottom lip. In return, Junhee let his legs fall open and wrapped his thighs around Donghun. He broke their kiss, trailing his lips across Donghun’s jaw, ear, neck, and then he nipped and tugged at the skin of his shoulder, teasing out a rough, harsh moan.

There was a thought in Junhee’s mind, that he wanted to learn every tiny detail of Donghun’s body. That he wanted to map every inch out with his tongue, brush his lips over every curve of muscle, every scar, every gold fleck on his skin.

He only pushed Donghun away to begin tugging away his clothes. And _fuck_ , instantly, Donghun’s hands were teasing out strokes. Junhee writhed, but planted a firm hand on his chest.

“Stop.” It came out strangled. “Is this…” He stopped, gasping for breath, and Donghun withdrew his hand. He searched desperately for the words in his blank mind. “This is okay, isn’t it? You’re… You’re not entirely human, are you?”

Donghun searched his face, and shook his head slowly.

Junhee looked up at him, all wet skin and honey muscle and dark, shining, intoxicating eyes and suddenly, he yanked him back down.

“Is that… Is that ‘you don’t care’?” Donghun’s words came between kisses. Junhee flipped them both over, and kissed down Donghun’s body. Lingered over his chest, tugged little kisses from the old scars on his stomach. And god, those little golden freckles _did_ cover his whole body. “You-” But Donghun’s words got stolen as Junhee’s mouth slipped around him, and his hips bucked up instinctively as he gasped. Junhee had stopped listening anyway, already high on his taste.

The night air was filled with heavy breaths and sounds of heady pleasure. For god knows how long, they explored, tongues and hands driving each other insane. Every muscle in Junhee’s body was tight and tense, and every kiss, every mouthful, every probing finger pushed him teetering to the edge.

“Fuck, come _here._ ” Donghun pushed him down hard and yanked his legs close by his thighs. Fire bled through Junhee’s veins in anticipation - he wanted it so much, wanted to be full of him-

But the other boy hesitated.

“Junhee,” he breathed, and even the sound of his name dripping from those lips made Junhee’s thighs tense. “When our skin touches, does it… does it make you feel dizzy? Do you feel something..?”

“Yeah.” Junhee met his eyes.

“Well that’s just skin, this…” His sentence was left hanging pointedly.

“I don’t care,” Junhee breathed, his hand back on Donghun, caressing him in a way that made him shudder in silent pleasure.

“Just stop me if it’s too much.”

Junhee highly doubted that he was going to be stopping anything.

There was that moment – that moment of strained pause, of tension - and then stars burst across Junhee’s vision. He screamed out, back completely arched, nails sunk into Donghun’s back as he began to move. It was slow, it was so slow but so fucking _intense_ , and it was just like that skin-to-skin tingling but oh _god-_

“Look at me.”

Junhee opened his eyes, physically incapable of stopping the moans leaving his lips in time with every deeper push. Donghun looked down into his face, cupped his cheek, all thirst and desire and fucking _love_.

It built suddenly and violently. Donghun’s hand closed around him, and his hand and his hips moved in sync, in that delicious rhythm, and suddenly Junhee tensed, right on the brink and-

A noise caught in Donghun’s throat, and his legs tensed, and he jolted up hard and heavy with a strangled sound. Junhee pitched up his hips to meet him. It thrust him right over the edge and his vision went white.

It rolled over him, hard, in waves. Pleasure breaking, and breaking, and _filling_ him-

He went completely and utterly blank.

Eventually, slowly, the world around him returned.

He became aware of the ground against his back, aware of Donghun quivering like crazy over the top of him, his damp forehead pressed into Junhee’s shoulder.

“ _Uh…_ ” He felt the forehead lift, and the careful withdrawal that followed sent a full tremor down Junhee’s body. “Hey. Are you okay?”

Junhee tried opening his eyes, but the world was spinning hard. He couldn’t move a muscle.

“Yeah…” he croaked, his voice splitting. “I… F… Fucking hell.”

“I know.” Donghun’s voice cracked, and he leaned his head against Junhee’s. “I know.”

Finally, Junhee felt just about able to keep his eyes open. Donghun looked down at him, and the pink-faced satisfaction, the wild hair, the shine of pure _affection_ in his eyes filled Junhee’s heart to overflowing.

When their shaking limbs could function again, they pulled on their wet clothes, clasped hands and made back for the house. Junhee couldn’t keep his arms away from Donghun – he wasn’t sure he ever wanted to let him go.

They changed into dry clothes silently, careful not to wake the other boys. Junhee glanced at Donghun as they headed for bed.

“I wish we could sleep together,” he murmured, looking at Yuchan.

Donghun pulled him close. “We can.” Junhee looked up in surprise. “…He knows.” He touched Junhee’s nose with his own. “Do you think there’s any chance in hell I’m not going to hold you while you fall asleep right now?”

Junhee’s heart melted.

They climbed into bed, coiling themselves together, blissful. Junhee couldn’t get close enough. Knowing Donghun’s body felt like knowing _him_ , and happiness and excitement and peace flooded his bloodstream as he cuddled him tight.

There was no going back. He was wildly, unstoppably, _crazily_ in love.

~

It was the smell of smoke that woke him.

Junhee fidgeting, disgruntled. He could feel the outline of Donghun against him and he was annoyed at whatever was waking him up. He frowned, eyes still closed, as something acrid filled the back of his throat. It smelled like burning.

Wait.

Junhee opened his eyes. The room was full of smoke.

“What the hell?!” He shot bolt upright, and his shout jolted Donghun into consciousness. Tiredness vanished from his eyes as he too saw the thick black ash swamping the room, pouring in through the open window.

“ _Yuchan!”_ Donghun had the redhead out of bed before Junhee could even stand, and then a strong hand yanked his fingers and pulled him from the room.

The living space was already coated in a film of black. Sehyoon and Byeongkwan stumbled from their room with spluttering coughs. Together, they ran and burst through the door, and shock lashed them to the spot.

Neverland burned. All of it.

Wildfires swept across the land, clawing white-orange flames consuming trees, flowers, _everything,_ indiscriminate. And behind them, the forest screamed a pillar of black into the sky.

They were jostled as creatures streamed from the forest, the whites of their eyes flashing as they fled. Panic rose in Junhee’s chest, rose until he couldn’t breathe-

“The blood.” Sehyoon stared, terror splashed over his face. “The blood they drained from Junhee. The pirates did this.”

“The _flowers_!” The look in Donghun’s eyes was pure hell. He tripped as he wheeled around, and Byeongkwan lunged for his arm.

“No, we _have_ to get to safety! The seafront, we-”

Donghun wrenched his arm free and leaped onto his wings.

“We can’t, we have to go to the water-” Byeongkwan’s voice was desperate, pleading.

“Hun! Hun, wait!” And Yuchan was taking off, flinging himself after their leader in the direction of the mountain path.

“ _What are you fucking doing?!”_ Byeongkwan’s voice broke, and Sehyoon snatched Junhee up as they both had no choice but to break into a run and take off after the others.

They slammed back onto their feet high up the rocky path; Junhee pitched forward onto his knees and rocks sliced open his palms. He scrabbled up – a patch of flame chased them up the mountainside, and he broke into a run to follow the others…

The glade of tulips was entirely ablaze.

And up ahead, Donghun’s hands were thrown out as he frantically quelled fires, but it was too much, the fire closed in, it raged through the space and pressed closer. But still he worked, still he tried to save it, desperate…

…So desperate, he was blind to the pirate walking out from the flames behind him.

Junhee was too far away to shout to him.

Everything slowed down.

The pirate walked on silent feet.

A long, silver blade slid out from its sheath.

He held it, poised.

Raised it.

“ _No!_ ”

A dagger lanced up to meet the sword, blocking its path. The pirate stumbled back in surprise, and Yuchan took the opportunity to shove him back, hard. Donghun whirled around at the sound of clashing metal, but Yuchan swiped again, twice more, fending off the pirate. They grappled – the pirate was fast, but Yuchan matched him, his face drawn back in a snarl – identical to the one Donghun always wore. Flames danced on his dagger and he sent the pirate back – one almighty blow clearing the pirate off his feet and into the flames.

Yuchan froze, poised. He glanced over his shoulder at Donghun, a proud smile lighting his face.

He was still smiling as the sword ran him through.

“ _YUCHAN!_ ”

The pirate’s mask hid his smile. He tugged his sword from Yuchan’s back, stained with red.

Donghun’s dagger was through his throat instantly. The pirate went limp, and Donghun threw him back into the flames.

Time simply stopped.

Junhee was frozen.

Then the others were running, and he stumbled forwards, ran, tripping, until he got to them. Donghun was knelt over Yuchan, cradling his head.

“ _Yuchan! YUCHAN!_ ” It was shriek. Donghun wrenched up the youngest’s blood-soaked shirt and put frantic hands to him, panic rising and bursting on his face as tears.

It was Byeongkwan who stepped up.

“We’ve no time, we’re about to be burned alive!” He grabbed up Yuchan from Donghun’s hold, carrying him in strong arms, and leaped up onto his wings with Sehyoon to make a bid for the seafront.

Junhee hauled Donghun up by the front of his shirt.

“Get us out of here!”

They collapsed onto the beach, where hundreds of creatures skittered, afraid, shrinking back towards the water as their homeland turned to ash. But the Lost Boys had no time for them.

“Channie?!” Byeongkwan lay him down on the sand, and Donghun too fell to his knees next to him, clasping his hand.

“Chan! Chan, can you hear me?”

The redhead opened his eyes, foggy. His breathing was a hoarse crackle, and he tipped his head to one side.

“Hun…” he croaked, and Donghun took his face in his hands, leaning close to him, sobs breaking from his chest. “Hun… why are my wings fading..?”

“Yuchan, I’m sorry…” Tears dripped from Donghun’s chin. “I’m so sorry…”

Yuchan face filled with pain. His eyes shut against it, and then found Donghun’s once more. A ghost of a smile raised his lips. “I was brave, wasn’t I?”

Donghun sobbed, a trembling thumb stroking the redhead’s cheek. “The bravest.”

Yuchan’s eyes closed, and his wings disappeared.

The waves broke. The flames crackled. And Donghun leaned his forehead to Yuchan’s, and cried – raw, and numb, and broken.

Byeongkwan stared, motionless. Tears dripped silently from his chin.

Sehyoon sank down next to him. He turned his face against Byeongkwan’s shoulder.

And Junhee’s heart broke.

Those sobs grew ragged, turned into gasping breaths. Donghun’s hand slid from Yuchan’s and he staggered to his feet. Wrath twisted his features, and he stumbled into the lapping shallows, staring out at the distant form of _The Crescent._ His shoulders rose and fell with each breath he snatched.

“You’ll pay for this.” It was calm, deadly. And then, it snapped, and he wrenched his blood-slicked dagger from his belt and hurled it so hard into the sand it sunk up to the hilt. “ _YOU WILL FUCKING PAY!”_

His chest was heaving, and the wind blew harder. And harder, and then it was whipping around them, huge gusts of black ash slamming into them so hard, they fell to a crouch to stop themselves getting swept off their feet. Great dark clouds billowed forth from behind the mountains and Neverland turned dark.

“ _Hun_ , st-”

A sudden crack of lightning streaked through the air, and they ducked, flinging their hands up to cover their faces. Ash still whipped in spirals. The air lit with flashes and bangs, static started to burn on Junhee’s skin, his hair whipping around his face.

Byeongkwan leaped forward and dived under a bolt of electricity. He grabbed Donghun.

“Get it under control!” he yelled desperately. “You’re going to kill us all!”

He smacked Donghun round the face, hard.

Donghun stumbled, and the shock snapped him from his wild abandon. Instantly, the violent magic dropped.

Instead, still breathing hard, tears staining his face, he turned back to the sea.

“ _Seirenes_!” His voice was raised and pleading. “Please! I know you can hear me. We need you… Help us.”

For a long moment, nothing happened. Junhee watched, tears still running down his cheeks as Neverland burned behind them. Then, that gentle, haunting melody began to rise on the waves, as though the ocean was singing a lullaby.

“You can’t get me with your voices!” Donghun’s voice cracked, and he threw out a hand. “Trust me, I would _welcome_ someone pulling me down to drown right now!”

The song abated. Slowly, as though materialising from the water itself, a woman lifted her head from the sea. She rose up, her long hair clinging to her bare shoulders, her face a blend of soft beauty and sharp edges. Her beauty was entrancing. She appraised Donghun, expressionless.

“Help us. _Please_.”

The siren held out graceful hands to take Donghun’s. And once more, she began to sing – but this time, Donghun’s voice joined her.

Junhee never knew a song had the power to shatter his heart.

As their voices swelled, great, heavy rainclouds flooded the skies above Neverland, and burst. Torrents swept across the land, beating down stronger and stronger as the two sang in the rains. The fires, for all their fury, began to douse.

Until the last flame died, the rain beat down, drenching them all.

｡･:*:･ﾟ★,｡･:*:･ﾟ☆ End of Part VI ｡･:*:･ﾟ★,｡･:*:･ﾟ☆

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Part VI, also known as The Chapter of Two Very Different Halves.
> 
> I definitely cried writing it.
> 
> Thank you for reading and for your lovely comments - you are the reason I write at all.
> 
> Last night I finished writing the final chapter at 4am. I'm so excited to share the final two installments with you. Next week we conclude our adventure..!
> 
> With love,  
> The Indigo Dragonfly
> 
> ~
> 
> Part VII: coming soon


	7. Part VII

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> At the hands of the pirates - strengthened by the blood they stole from Junhee - Neverland has been set alight, and Yuchan's young life stolen far too soon. The ash settles on a world that will never be the same again...

Still, the skies cried.

Junhee sat inside the house, listening to the rain thrumming on the roof, staring down at his hands.

There had been no need for a burial. It transpired that those with magic in their blood were consumed by the final remnants of the energies in their veins, and so as Yuchan’s life had slipped away, so did his corporal form. He hadn’t been able to watch as that happy young boy faded away to nothing.

No one had spoken. Donghun had stood, in silence, and made his way down the seafront, checking the creatures gathered there for burns. Junhee had watched him, tears dripping down his cheeks and mingling with the rain, as he healed them one by one.

And then they had come back home. The forest smouldered, the huge oaks that surrounded the house nothing but charred black trunks. The house itself was uncannily unscathed but for the deep settling of ash across every surface and floor. It was protected, Sehyoon had murmured quietly, by years of magical defences.

And Donghun had walked straight past them all, shutting the door to his shared room with a pointed _thud_.

Now, Junhee took a very deep breath, and let it out slowly. Shock was coursing through his body, it felt like he was somehow watching from a distance, disconnected. He acknowledged that he didn’t have such a great claim to be heartbroken as the Lost Boys – he had known Yuchan for only a short time. God knows the agony that they must be feeling.

He got up slowly, and went to check on Byeongkwan and Sehyoon. They were both sat outside in the rain, their backs leaned against the house, hair plastered to their faces. Junhee walked over to them, nervous of their blank expressions.

“Can I… can I do anything? Get you anything?” Junhee’s voice trembled. He knew better than to ask if they were okay.

Sehyoon looked up and shook his head. “You’re kind to offer.”

Junhee nodded, looking out over the land that stretched below. Everything was grey – grey skies, grey rain, and Neverland’s colours had been bleached like dead coral. His stomach lurched. It was _devastating_.

He returned inside, pushing away his wet hair and standing, hesitant, at the door to the room Donghun had shut himself in. He took a deep breath.

He opened the door, and his heart twisted.

Donghun sat on the floor next to Yuchan’s bed, his legs curled underneath him. His face and arms were buried in the unmade blanket Yuchan had kicked away as he had last scrambled out of bed.

“Hun..?”

He didn’t move.

Junhee crept over, and silently sank to the floor next to him. He lifted a tentative hand, hesitated, and then wrapped an arm across Donghun’s shoulders, resting his head against his neck.

For a moment, Donghun responded to the touch, leaning his cheek against Junhee’s head.

But soon he pulled away.

“This is my fault.” His voice was hollow, and Junhee looked at his pale face: his eyes were shielded. His heart skipped. It was like all his barriers had been thrown back up. Junhee reached for something to say, the right way to comfort him – but Donghun stood abruptly, turned on his heel and stalked from the room.

Junhee heard the front door slam.

And there wasn’t a chance in hell he wasn’t going after him.

He ran back outside, sparing a glance at Sehyoon and Byeongkwan, and then broke into a run as he headed uphill. He had a feeling he knew where to find that boy.

As he ran, the rains ebbed into a light mist. Still, it was enough to drench Junhee through yet again. He pushed his slick bangs back from his eyes, breathing hard as he jogged up the steepening incline. His feet slipped on the wet pebbles but he didn’t slow down.

He found him exactly where he thought he would.

The plain of tulips was no more. It smouldered gently, every last flower burned to the ground. Sorrow slammed into Junhee at the sight. The petals had become ash, all that beauty scorched to nothing. And Donghun stood, his back to Junhee, stock still.

He walked quietly, afraid a noise might scare him away.

But Donghun didn’t walk away. He didn’t move at all, even when Junhee stopped next to him, didn’t look up. His eyes were deadened, unseeing. No tears fell, no furious scowl twisted his features. He was just completely and utterly blank.

And that was a million times scarier than if he screamed, or cried, or shouted.

“Donghun…” Junhee reached out a hand to touch him, and a pop of static made him jolt his fingers back.

“It’s my fault.” Donghun’s voice was quiet, and numb. “If I hadn’t run here, Yuchan wouldn’t have followed me… He was trying to protect _me_.” He took a shaking breath. “He was just… just a kid.” His eyes cast over the decimated land around him. “And this is… this is all gone. Everything’s gone. It’s my fault.”

“It isn’t.” Junhee’s voice was firm. “This is _not_ your fault, Donghun. You didn’t cause any of this. The pirates did this. Hongjoong did this. All of it.”

“But I should have got them to safety…”

“In the face of a decision between going with them and trying to save your home.” Junhee took his shoulders. “Donghun, look at me. Don’t blame yourself for this. I… I know that’s what you do. You carry the whole world on your shoulders and make it your responsibility to care for every living thing around you. But you can’t – no one can. I’m so, _so_ sorry. For Yuchan, for everything… But this is not your fault.”

Donghun’s dark eyes filled with tears. He searched Junhee’s face like he was desperate to find truth there. Perhaps he did, as he fell into Junhee’s arms and broke down.

Junhee held him tightly as his sobs racked through the rain. It was the most heartbreaking sound of all.

“I loved Yuchan like a brother,” he wept into Junhee’s neck. “I just wanted to keep him safe and I failed. And I should have protected you too but I couldn’t think of anything other than this place, the tulips… and it’s gone, my whole home is _gone_ …”

His sobs tore from his throat.

“They say I’m a leader, they say I’m strong, but why don’t I feel like that inside?!” His hands took fistfuls of Junhee’s clothes. “I’m scared, and I hide it away and rely on _no one_ because I can’t let them see that I’m not who they think I am.”

He choked. “I make mistakes, and I let people down, and every day I try and paint on a mask to stop anyone losing faith in me. And I never let them in in case they see that the real me is frightened. And so I’ve always been alone. It hurts... I’m so _lonely…_ And now Yuchan is gone… the flowers are gone…”

And Junhee just let it pour out. Because he knew that this wasn’t just today’s pain. It was a lifetime’s.

“Donghun.” The other boy peeled himself from Junhee, looking up at him with red eyes. Junhee cupped his cheek and Donghun leaned into the touch, closing his eyes as two more tears trickled down his face. “I love you.”

Donghun’s lip wobbled, and he began to shake his head - but Junhee smiled, even though tears stung his own eyes.

“And you don’t think you deserve that. I know. You’ve convinced yourself that you don’t deserve love… or even _respect_. And… I think you convinced yourself of that a hell of a long time ago.” Junhee watched him frankly. “And… you think people only respect you, only love you, because you’re some strong, impenetrable, flawless boy who makes perfect decisions and doesn’t falter in the face of danger.” Junhee shook his head slowly. “But you’re wrong.

“We respect you, and love you, because of how you keep going _despite_ your fears, your weakness, and fuck, even your flaws. Because _every single one of us_ has our own. You’re unstoppable, not because you don’t have fear, or doubts, but because you continue despite them. Because here you are, still fighting for your friends, for your home. We have this saying, where I’m from: ‘courage isn’t the absence of fear, it’s the triumph over it’ – and you do that every single day. And… you taught Yuchan that. Even though you don’t understand it yourself.” His own voice cracked a little.

“ _That’s_ why they call you their leader. _That’s_ why this place leans in to so much as hear your voice. And that’s… that’s why I fell for you, and keep falling for you every second of the day.” Junhee took a breath tearfully, pushing back Donghun’s wet hair. “And none of these things are going to change the pain of what happened today. I’m so, _so_ sorry for that. But I can try and help you see yourself the way I see you, the way Byeongkwan, Sehyoon see you. The way Yuchan saw you. You’re never alone. I’ll never let you be alone.”

Donghun had hung onto every word, and as Junhee finished speaking, tears dropped from his lashes, and he pressed a shaking kiss onto his lips.

Junhee held him in the rain for a long time. His cries softened to sniffs, and when he was ready, he pulled back, looking into Junhee’s face with eyes soothed of their self-hatred.

“Now please,” Junhee begged gently, taking his hand. “Let me take you home and put you in some dry clothes and keep you safe.”

~

The next day, the sun rose on Neverland. It felt out of place in the blackened land – like there should be perpetual rain to reflect the despair around them. But stubbornly, the sun shone, and the Lost Boys, too, had to continue.

Junhee forced them to eat. It was all he could do – he couldn’t make it better, bring them comfort, or take the weariness from their faces. But he could feed them, and make sure they kept up their strength. And they seemed to appreciate it, their faces a little less drawn once they’d had food.

One day. That’s all they’d agreed to give themselves. One day to recover, physically and mentally. To mourn for Yuchan, and the natural life lost around then. Then tomorrow, they would decide what to do next. Junhee’s stomach had flipped – he didn’t know what that meant, but he sensed that the bloodshed was far from over.

Junhee finished clearing the dishes in the evening; the others had already headed for their beds. He smiled as he returned to his room and found Donghun nodding off, still sat up with a sheet of parchment in his lap.

“You know, most people lie down to go to sleep…” he teased gently, and Donghun’s heavy eyes opened.

“Mh.” He put the writing to one side and held out a hand. Junhee sat side-by-side with him on the bed, also leaning his back against the wall. He slipped his hand against Donghun’s and their fingers locked. After yesterday’s emotional dam had broken, quiet resolve seemed to have settled over his golden boy.

“How are you holding up?” Junhee gave his fingers a squeeze and Donghun sighed.

“I’m okay. I’ve… I’ve dealt with grief a whole fucking lot in my life. I mean, since I was young, there’s always been loss so…” He shrugged helplessly. “I hate that I sort of cope with it now. I wish it would destroy me for a while, but instead… I’m desensitised to it. And I don’t like that.”

Junhee watched him, lip bitten. Well _that_ was heart-breaking.

“What were you like, when you were little?” he asked, keen to nudge the conversation away. It worked, because Donghun gave a grin.

“Way too big for my boots.” He paused, then held out a hand. Sparks rushed into existence in the room – just like the one’s Byeongkwan had summoned on Junhee’s first day here. They moved together and changed colour, and suddenly Junhee was looking at a glittering recreation of the forest, and a very small, very wild-haired little boy. He blinked, all chubby cheeks, big downturned eyes and full little lips. Gold freckles burst over his nose and his fingers curled inside his too-long sleeves.

“You could _not_ have been that cute.” Junhee looked at actual Donghun with a laugh. “You were adorable!”

Donghun smiled, and the little version of himself hovered awkwardly on his wings. He made his way through the forest, worry on his small face. The sparks added three glowing moons to the scene, and the child crawled into the hollowed trunk of a fallen tree, tugged out a tatty blanket from the pack tied to his belt and curled up in a little ball beneath it.

“Wait…” Junhee watched, the smile falling from his face. “You… were already alone?” Donghun didn’t look away from the scene to meet his gaze. “How old were you?”

“Five.”

A stab of pain sliced Junhee’s heart. Five..? To have lost his family, and be alone, fending for himself..?

The sparks flurried apart, shattering the scene, and then reformed. This time, the little boy was taller, his face beginning to take on the angles of his adult self. Perhaps thirteen or fourteen. He deftly handled the knife in his hand, slicing up the thick stems of a plant in front of him and draining the sap. A second figure appeared next to him – a small, sharp-faced kid that couldn’t be anyone but Byeongkwan.

And so Junhee watched as the boy grew up – and Sehyoon appeared, only his silver hair was long and tied up back then. And then Yuchan, and Junhee’s heart panged. But he stayed quiet, drinking this in, moved at this opportunity to look through a window into Donghun’s past. And this seemed to be helping Donghun, too.

He began to tell Junhee stories too – stories of the trouble they’d gotten into, the places they had explored, the time they had lost Yuchan for the best part of a week.

“If only you had phones,” Junhee commented with a smirk. Donghun blinked at him, his face blank. “A… A phone?” He sat back, surprised. “I guess… Yeah, why would you know what a phone was.” He stood up and fetched his phone from its place on the dresser. The Lost Boys must have recovered his belongings from the assaulters back in the alleyway, and it had sat there since, battery dead. He handed it to Donghun. “It’s a way to speak to people who are far away. You can ring their unique number and… hear them speak through it. Even thousands of miles away. And other stuff too but… I feel like the concept of the internet is something for another day.”

Donghun turned it over in his hands, peering at it with curiosity. It was endearing, watching him learn… Until he whacked it on the bed, hard.

“Hey! What the-”

Donghun looked up innocently. “Sometimes stuff triggers if you hit it…”

Junhee stared at him, dumbfounded. “I mean… I mean yeah,” he admitted, unable to hold down the laugh. “That’s the same in our world but… Don’t smash my phone.” He laughed again, tucking back a curl of Donghun’s hair. “You’re cute.”

Donghun snorted. “Well no one has ever thought _that_ before.”

“Well I think so.” Junhee leaned and stole a kiss; it sent butterflies dancing through his belly.

“Can you tell me more about where you’re from?”

“Yeah.” Junhee smiled. “I wish I could use magic and show you too.”

Donghun thought. “Hold out your hand like I did.” Junhee stared, and then tentatively did as he was told, still with one eyebrow raised. Donghun pressed his own palm behind it. “Think really hard about what you want to show me.”

Junhee stared dumbly a moment longer, and then, dubious, thought about his home in Seoul, his apartment, the little cacti clustered on the windowsill…

He jumped out of his skin as the sparks flurried together and mirrored his thoughts in front of his eyes.

“What the-?!” He jerked his hand back and the image dissolved. He stared at Donghun in panic. “Can you read my thoughts?!”

“No.” Donghun shook his head, an amused smile tugging at his mouth. “I can just channel them. It’s different. It’ll only show what you try and show me.” The smile grew sly. “Why, what goes on in your head that you wouldn’t want me to see?”

“Wouldn’t you like to know…” he grumbled.

And so Junhee concentrated, and his home re-materialised. He talked about his life, his friends, his family, and then the image moved again and became the florist shop. It felt so natural, telling Donghun all this, and the other boy leaned his head on Junhee’s shoulder as he watched, his eyes strangely wistful.

“But it’s not always been easy.” Junhee hesitated, tracing his finger up Donghun’s forearm absently. He didn’t think he’d ever get bored of joining up the gold freckles. “My country, it’s… pretty conservative. And I grew up with a family who believed in old traditional values. I didn’t open up much as a teenager, and when I got my first boyfriend when I was eighteen, it was hard to tell them. They didn’t even know I was interested in guys.”

Donghun sat up. He looked perplexed. “What do you mean?”

“Well… It’s not viewed as a good thing, by a lot of people.”

“…But why?”

Junhee searched his face and found nothing but innocent puzzlement there. “So, men date women. Sleep with women, fall in love with women… That’s how conservative people see it. And so there’s a lot of homophobia. People who hate people who don’t fit that box. Think it’s wrong and immoral.”

The sparks flurried in the air in front of them and showed Junhee as a teenager, knees pulled up to his chest as he cried.

“So… they think you’re immoral because you like boys..?”

“Yeah. Some people.” Junhee sighed. “Not everyone – and it’s slowly getting easier. I think younger people are more open-minded, but people like my parents…” He went quiet. “I think that’s why those men attacked me that night, too.”

“But it doesn’t affect anyone other than you. Why do they care so much about who you love?”

Junhee snorted softly. “Well. Quite.” He let the images fade away.

In their place, a tall oak tree appeared, and a version of Donghun sat high in its branches alone, his legs swinging. Junhee smiled, and created his own replica to sit beside him, and it reached over to kiss him. The real Donghun broke into a smile, and let the sparks die out, curling his hands around Junhee’s neck and kissing him for real.

They curled up to sleep, and Junhee smiled at the way Donghun coiled over him, his head on Junhee’s chest. He stroked his wild hair, full of affection. Perhaps he couldn’t save Donghun’s life the way he had saved Junhee’s. But if he could help heal that damaged heart, then he would do whatever it took.

~

They sat around the table at noon the following day. Junhee played with the fringe of the cushion he sat on, anxiety nibbling at his insides as the others discussed the pirates.

“I personally don’t think we have a choice.” Donghun sat up, shoulders back, a look of grim determination etched on his face. “This has gone on for too long. We’ve enforced stricter and stricter sanctions but it hasn’t deterred them. If we don’t do it now, it’s only a matter of time before all of us wind up dead.”

“You mean kill them.” Byeongkwan refrained from pulling the punch – and it wasn’t disapproval, nor a question.

Sehyoon was the one who looked concerned. “Are we really the ones who can decide who lives and who dies?”

Donghun took a deep breath. “I don’t want any more blood on my hands either.” His voice was quiet but steady. “Skies, I’ve taken two lives in the past few weeks. Don’t for a second think I’m immune to that.” He looked down at his hands. “And I’m… scared, just like you. I don’t want to go back to that ship after seeing what they’ve done to my home. But courage isn’t the absence of fear, it’s the triumph over it.”

Junhee looked up in surprise as he heard Donghun echo his own words that he had spoken in that decimated tulip plain.

“And we can’t let this go further. Innocent creatures were burned alive that day. And they murdered Yuchan.” He met Byeongkwan and Sehyoon’s eyes in turn. “But this goes beyond even that. This isn’t comparable to any of the things they’ve done before. Even what happened with Amiri.”

For a moment, Junhee didn’t register who he spoke of. And then it dawned on him – he’d never heard the name of the boy who had betrayed Donghun all those years ago.

“What they did then was abhorrent. But it was to gain strength, selfishly, and to attack me because I loved him. They wanted to break me. And they nearly did, but… that was all. This, _this_ is an attack on all of Neverland. This goes beyond me, beyond us – they wanted the whole place destroyed. Even if it’s suicide, because it’s going to decimate their own source of magic…

“What _are_ we going to do about it, Hun?” Byeongkwan placed his hands on the table, for once looking nervous. “The plants… There’s nothing left. Scraps of flowers that survived. We’re going to get very weak, very fast.”

“We rebuild it.” Resolve flashed over Donghun’s eyes. “We have two priorities. We take down the pirates, and we go back to the human world for seeds, and supplies to keep us going in the meantime.” He looked at Junhee, and his entire expression became guarded. “We need to take Junhee home, anyway.”

Junhee said nothing. The others continued their talk, coming to an agreement that there was nothing else for it: they had to return to _The Crescent_ in two days’ time, and they would be out to kill the remaining six pirates. He wanted to let his mind fill up with worry over their safety, fear that they were going to put their lives on the line, but right now all that filled his consciousness was the idea of sitting in his apartment, alone, pining for Donghun until it consumed him.

A mixture of emotions filled Junhee’s head as he filled up the water in a vase of flowers near his bed that evening. That hard, jolting emotion just kept knocking at his heart.

_Soon, this will be over. And I have to leave here. Have to leave him._

He looked up at Donghun as he walked into the room with his eyes down. Was he thinking the same thing? Was it filling him with a gnawing pain the way it was Junhee?

“You should leave tomorrow.”

Junhee’s heart stopped.

“What..?” he stuttered, and Donghun looked up at him. His face was grim, and guarded.

“We can take you home before we go back to _The Crescent_. You’re fully healed and you don’t need to be here – and I don’t want you to get caught up in this.”

The gnawing pain collapsed in on itself and became defiance. “I’m not leaving you-”

“-And I’m not giving you a choice.”

The words fell harshly on Junhee. Donghun’s face was set.

“And what..?” He heard the tremble in his own voice. “Leave you all to fight alone? And just go back to my own life, grateful that _I’m_ okay? And not know if you were even still…” He gulped on his own words. “I wouldn’t even know you were safe. I want to come with y-”

Donghun’s voice rose. “Are you crazy? By doing so, you’d be putting us in even more danger-!”

“-Stop treating me like some useless human!” Junhee’s voice snapped into a shout, and heat flushed onto his cheeks. Donghun looks surprised at his outburst, but pink spots appeared on his own face.

“I’m not, I just can’t bear to think of you getting hurt-!”

“-And I can’t bear to think of leaving you!”

It fell silent. The anger disappeared from Donghun’s face. He stepped closer, and his voice completely softened.

“Junhee…” He accepted the hands that curled round his hips. Donghun searched his face, sadness in his eyes. “Little one…”

It was the nickname that did it – tears rose desperately in Junhee’s eyes and spilled. Donghun pulled him close, let him cry, and whispered sweet affections into his hair.

After a little while, Junhee steadied himself. He pulled back, wiping his eyes, but Donghun still held onto his waist.

“Look,” he said gently, his eyes still on Junhee’s face. “Okay… Stay until after this is over.” He glanced away. “I really don’t have the heart to put up a fight…”

Junhee watched him, sadness still flooding his veins. “But I’ll still have to leave you…”

“Ssh.” Donghun kissed the corner of his mouth softly. “Please, let’s not think about it. Just… just for tonight.”

Junhee nodded, already caught up by another kiss, and this one lingered, all quiet softness.

They sank down onto Junhee’s bed together. Junhee wasn’t sure how long they kissed, all slow movements and fingers through hair, but it felt a lot like being a teenager, no rush to move anything further. Donghun’s hands barely touched him, fingers brushing his arms then pulling away.

At one point, Donghun began to lean away, and Junhee followed him. He sensed a as Donghun teased him – he just kept pulling out of reach, and Junhee grabbed a fistful of his shirt to pull him back. Donghun smiled into the kiss, and then his teeth tugged hard at Junhee’s bottom lip.

So hard, it drew a little blood – Junhee tasted it on his tongue and thought nothing of it. But Donghun jerked back, and Junhee opened his eyes to find him staring in horror.

“I’m so sorry,” he stuttered, watching the little bead of blood on Junhee’s mouth. Junhee laughed – and then it struck him. Human blood in Neverland…

“Hey, it’s okay,” he said, reaching to soothe the alarmed Donghun. “It was an accident, I know you’re not trying to bite me open.” He grinned. “I don’t care.”

Donghun watched him, wary. Junhee thought about Byeongkwan’s words from before: _it’s way more taboo than that._

“Hey.” He curled a hand around Donghun’s neck. He spoke tentatively. “It’s not something you can… get a taste for, right?”

A scowl instantly formed on Donghun’s face. “I’m not a vampire!”

Junhee smiled, and drifted forward to kiss him deeply, the iron tang still on his lips.

Donghun was straight-up frozen, and then his hands crept onto Junhee’s waist, and he pulled him into his lap. His tongue curled into Junhee’s mouth. And _god_ , he would never be able to explain it afterwards, but Junhee felt a swift burn of red-hot desire seep through him. It was like trusting Donghun with some secret, hidden intimacy.

Donghun must have felt it too, because his hands tightened on Junhee’s waist, slipped down to his hips, and found bare skin to dig his nails into. Junhee pressed kisses into his neck, and grinded down into Donghun’s lap, making his legs jerk and his breath catch.

In a haze of desire, they rushed to pull their clothes loose – not taking time to fully remove them because that took time, and they had _so little_ _time_ – and then that burst of insane pleasure. Junhee straddled Donghun, whose hands guided his hips, their movements slow and steady and so, _so_ satisfying, tensing every muscle in Junhee’s body and sending those gasping moans spilling from his lips.

And they forgot about the future, forgot that in a few days, this would be over – and they would forever be an entire world apart.

｡･:*:･ﾟ★,｡･:*:･ﾟ☆ End of Part VII ｡･:*:･ﾟ★,｡･:*:･ﾟ☆

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> And here we are, one chapter to go... I promise you, it's a big one.
> 
> See you on the other side..!
> 
> Thank you, as always, for reading.
> 
> With love,  
> The Indigo Dragonfly
> 
> ~
> 
> Part VIII: coming soon


	8. Part VIII

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> It has been decided: the Lost Boys will return to the godforsaken black pirate ship. And this time, they plan to end it.
> 
> The fate of Neverland hangs in the balance - and everything is at stake.

_Shrin. Shrin. Shrin._

That piercing metal chime sounded again and again. Junhee watched Donghun scrape the whetstone up his dagger, sharpening the blade to a razor’s edge. Such a simple action, but one with an intent to kill.

Byeongkwan and Sehyoon also prepared their equipment. Everyone was dressed in tight-fitting black, and Junhee had counted eleven blades disappearing into their clothing between the three of them.

He was snapped from his thoughts as Donghun reached over, offering the blade he worked on hilt-first. Junhee stared at it dumbly.

“Take it.” Donghun’s look was plain, but Junhee waved his hands, backing away.

“N-no way. I don’t know how to use that and I…”

“And if you think I’m letting you come with us _unarmed_ , then so help me, Junhee…” Donghun jutted the hilt closer. His voice softened slightly. “I’m not asking you to hurt anyone. But if you ended up in a situation with nothing to defend yourself, I’d never forgive myself.” With shaking hands, Junhee accepted the weapon. It was light and perfectly balanced.

All too soon, they were ready.

“Stick to the plan.” Donghun’s voice was firm as he turned to face the others. “Byeongkwan and I will buy as much time as possible – but we don’t know how strong they’re going to be. I don’t know how much of Junhee’s blood was unharmed after the explosion last time we were there, and I don’t know how much strength they used up when they set fire to everything. Hopefully, a lot, but we can’t take that chance.” A dark grin passed over his face. “But if they want to play with fire, that’s what they’ll get.”

Byeongkwan and Donghun were the strongest – and flinging themselves straight into the fray would cause enough of a distraction to buy Sehyoon and Junhee time to make it to the lower decks unnoticed. Because it wasn’t their plan to simply fight Hongjoong and his men – they were going to take the whole ship down.

And then there was no more talking to be done. They headed outside, and wished each other luck. Sudden panic rose in Junhee’s throat and he grabbed Donghun’s arm.

“Hun, I-” He froze, caught between what he wanted to say and fear to say anything at all.

“It’s okay, little one.” Donghun smiled gently. “It’s going to be okay. We’re all coming back out of this in one piece.” Junhee searched his face, wishing desperately to believe in his determination. He nodded faintly. Donghun stepped forward, and uncaring of the others, kissed Junhee tenderly, one hand on his face. “I love you.”

“I love you too.” Junhee held onto his hand, until those fingers pulled back and slipped away.

“Right. It’s time.” Donghun and Byeongkwan nodded once. “Good luck.”

“Stay safe. Both of you.” Sehyoon stood with Junhee as the other two lifted onto their wings. Donghun gave Junhee one last glance, and then they turned in the direction of the sea.

“Ready?” Sehyoon held out a hand, and with shaking fingers, Junhee took it.

The flight to _The Crescent_ was swift and silent. But they were greeted by shouts and snaps of magic.

Sehyoon and Junhee settled at the very top of the tallest mast and crouched low. The great sails rippled beneath them and hid them from view, but as they billowed, they could make out the scene below.

Two bodies lay on the deck already, their limbs crumpled in a dark spreading pool. Donghun and Byeongkwan were a flash of gold and sapphire, fighting back-to-back, great flashes of magic slashing through the air. Three pirates surrounded them, fighting strong. Junhee’s stomach flipped.

And then there he was.

Captain Hongjoong’s cloak billowed out behind him. Even from here, Junhee could see the way his face twisted in rage. He raised a hand – and Donghun was knocked clean out of the air, rolling once as he hit the deck before he flung himself back onto his feet.

“Now.” Sehyoon grabbed Junhee’s hand, but he was frozen, still fixed on the fight. “Junhee, we move when they’re all distracted. The plan. Donghun will be fine. This is our _chance_.”

Junhee couldn’t breathe. Sehyoon flew them low to the deck, cautious to go undetected. But the fight raged fierce, and Sehyoon wrenched open the door to the lower decks and they leaped inside unnoticed.

It took a moment for Junhee’s eyes to adjust. Even here, everything was built from black wood. A deep smell of sea salt and ebony filled his throat. Sehyoon beckoned him, and they broke into a run down the steps.

The ship was huge – and the lower decks stretched long and narrow, split into sections. A great dining hall, the crew’s quarters… Junhee’s feet slipped and he skidded across the floor, but Sehyoon wrenched him back up and pulled him on. Every second counted.

Down a ladder again, and they arrived at the gun deck. Rows of cannons sat still and heavy. Out the portholes, the sea lapped some distance below. Sehyoon cast around, gaining his bearings.

“Down again – then we should be there.”

 _The storage rooms_. That was where Donghun had told them to go. The lowest level, the belly of the ship. It was there they would start their fires.

They ran until they found another descending ladder. They jumped down and span around. The huge space was filled with crates and canvases, walls dripping with damp.

But Sehyoon and Junhee stopped, frozen still.

A group of boys sat on the wooden decking, wrists and ankles bound.

“What the hell-?” Junhee stepped forward, staring. One of the boys from the group looked up and met his eyes. He jolted. That gaze, it was so familiar…

Sehyoon approached them. His eyes were wide, and he slowly slid a knife from his belt. The captives watched him, their faces fearful. He crouched in front of the boy who had met Junhee’s eyes, pulled down his gag and slit the ropes holding his hands together. As Sehyoon removed the boy’s hat, a tangled length of light brown hair fell against his neck.

“…Hongjoong?”

Junhee stepped back, stunned.

Those eyes, they _were_ familiar. They were those same dark, angular eyes that had stared at him before – the eyes of this ship’s captain. But it wasn’t just his eyes – he had the same small face, the same upturned lips, the same sharp chin. Junhee was looking at the same man, it had to be…

Sehyoon made short work of unbinding the ties on all eight captives. He trembled visibly.

“Sehyoon, what are you doing here?” It was _haunting_ – that voice was the same… but it couldn’t be, because Hongjoong was fighting Donghun and Byeongkwan above deck, he-

“Fighting _you_.” Sehyoon sat back on his heels, staring into Hongjoong’s face. “Or so we thought… What in the _skies_ is going on?”

“We have to stop them.” Hongjoong pushed to his feet, and he wobbled with the effort. “Those men, they’re fake! And they’re capable of so much evil…”

“Why are there two of you all?” The others only seemed to notice Junhee when he spoke, voice shaking. “What the hell is happening?”

Hongjoong took a deep breath. “Years ago, we sailed to the Cerberus Islands. You remember, Sehyoon?” Sehyoon gave a swift nod. “We were about to set sail and leave, when dark spirits from the island attacked us. They overwhelmed us, commandeered _The Crescent_ and took our forms.” He pointed skywards, his face desperate. “They are nothing but an imitation! They’ve held us hostage for years, barely keeping us alive.” He swallowed hard, looking at Junhee. “We have to stop them!”

“That… that’s why you changed…” Sehyoon shook his head slowly, eyes wide. “It… it wasn’t you…” He ran fingers through his silver hair. “They’ve caused so much suffering. They’ve burned all of Neverland, they killed so many innocent creatures… They killed Yuchan.”

Hongjoong blanched. “I’m… I’m so sorry…” He took a breath, his lips set in a firm line. “But we can help you end this.”

“Where are the other Lost Boys?” A boy with dark hair over his eyes stepped forward – Junhee recognised him as the pirate who took Yuchan’s life. Or, his _counterpart_ had? Fuck, his head was spinning…

“They’re on the top deck, San - fighting the imitations of you who are left.” Sehyoon raked fingers through his hair again. “We were planning to set fire to this place. Take the ship down and them with it.”

“That’ll take too long.” It was Seonghwa – Junhee recognised that scarred face and blanched; memories of the day he had drained Junhee’s blood came flooding back. He forced himself to steady: _it’s not the same man_ …

Hongjoong nodded once. “He’s right. We can make this faster. Let us help.”

“You’re okay taking down your own ship?”

Hongjoong pulled his hat back into place and gave a dark, sharp-teethed grin. “I am. They say the captain goes down with the ship – but I have no intention of going anywhere.”

~

Donghun skidded. He pitched forward, and Byeongkwan yanked him up with a tug on his shirt.

“Don’t slip up now!”

Donghun readjusted his grip on his blood-slicked blade. All but three of the pirates were dead. Two circled them, sweating and bloodstained. Their captain watched from a distance, arms folded.

Donghun jumped up into the air on his wings and tossed out a hand – magic slammed into one of the pirates and nudged him back a foot. Skies, they were _strong_. This wasn’t natural.

They’d all consumed Junhee’s blood. That was clear. And though he had no time to focus on it, it made him _sick._

Filled with rage, he dived forward through the air and slammed back onto his feet. He slashed at the pirate and a blade met his. He parried once, ducked, parried again. And then this time, as the sword swung at him, he rolled underneath it. His dagger whipped up and sunk into the pirate’s abdomen, and he drove it in, hard.

A wave of exhaustion hit him as he yanked back his weapon. Byeongkwan, too, fell back, leaving his knife in the neck of the last henchman, his face pale.

Something close to fear crept over Donghun. _We can’t keep going much longer…_

Sehyoon and Junhee were supposed to have lit the fires by now. It needed to be ripping through the ship before they could flee – flames devouring wood at a rate the pirates wouldn’t be able to put a stop to. And most of all, Donghun and Byeongkwan weren’t leaving until Sehyoon and Junhee reappeared. But no flames, no smell of smoke – and neither of the other two had appeared.

Hongjoong took lazy steps towards them.

“Leader.” The word rolled off his tongue, dripping in honeyed venom. “What makes a leader? Someone strong. Brave. Intelligent. Righteous.” Donghun raised his dagger with an aching arm. “But you, Lost Boy… You are _none_ of those things.”

A huge blast of magic pushed him stumbling backwards – he just about held his footing.

“You are weak.”

 _Bang_.

“You are cowardly.”

 _Bang_.

“You are ignorant.”

 _Bang_.

“You will never save your precious home. You will never save your friends. And you will watch me _break_ that human apart, piece by piece.”

The force that hit Donghun flung him back into the mizzen mast. His head cracked against it.

_Get up... Get up…_

But he hurt. He hurt and ached and his legs trembled from the shock of the pain.

Hongjoong’s boots approached. _Click. Click. Click._

He stopped, feet away from him.

Junhee. It was all he could think of. Everything stopped hurting when Junhee was there. His heart healed and his fears soothed, and he couldn’t let go now. Hongjoong would have to pick him apart limb from limb before he would let anything happen to that boy again. He had to find strength, somewhere.

And that’s when a movement to his right caught his eye. A grate was set into the floor just beyond his fingers, and a face appeared, looking up at him. Donghun’s heart skipped.

~

They tore back through the ship – ascending faster with Hongjoong and his men to lead the way. At the gun deck, Hongjoong threw out an arm to stop them all.

“Gunpowder.” It was one simple word, but it made Sehyoon swivel and stare at him.

“You… you plan to blow the whole thing up?”

Hongjoong raised a finger. “Not the _whole_ thing, I’d like us all to get out of here alive. Just enough to start the fire we need.” He turned to the bags piled at one side of the room and hefted one over to Jongho. “Lost Boy, we’re going to need your firepower.”

“I’m all yours.” Sehyoon glanced at Junhee, and then all ten of them broke into a run again.

For a minute, Junhee thought Hongjoong was taking them right into the fray. But instead, they remained just below the top deck, ducking into some mezzanine that led low beneath the fight above.

Hongjoong laced his fingers through a grate in the ceiling; pale sky was visible through it. And as they huddled close, Junhee’s heart skipped at a familiar boy, leaning against the mizzenmast, his face splattered in blood.

“Donghun.”

The boy turned, and shock flashed over his eyes as he met those of Hongjoong’s. It was swiftly masked.

“I need you to do two things.” Hongjoong’s voice was all swift, direct leadership. “I need you to draw… the _other_ Hongjoong over this way. And I need you to throw up a strong shield around you and any other of your friends up there. Clear?”

Donghun gave the faintest incline of his head.

“And all of you.” Hongjoong glanced back and gave his sharp smile. “Stand clear.”

Junhee fell back with the others. His heart pounded. Were they going to… bomb this place open? But what if Donghun’s shield didn’t hold..?

He wanted to protest but the others pulled him back. Hongjoong planted the gunpowder.

Above, slow footsteps banged across the wood. Junhee could just make out Donghun, still sat against the mast, his eyes fixed upwards. Playing immobile or actually drained – Junhee didn’t know, and suddenly he wanted to push them out of the way, scream that Donghun might not have the strength to do this, that-

Hongjoong nodded at Sehyoon once.

They stood back – and then the whole place exploded.

The noise was thunderous, and the force of the explosion sent them all backwards. Instantly, flames and smoke poured through the now gaping hole in the upper deck.

“Junhee, come on!”

Sehyoon held out his hand, and Junhee lunged for it. The silver-haired boy lifted him through the burning gap out into the open air, as the Ateez pirates leaped through flames to climb free.

Donghun lay still on the deck, one arm over Byeongkwan. Smoke trailed against the shield held around them, and then the barrier fizzled, and vanished.

“ _Hun!”_ Junhee let go of Sehyoon’s hand and jumped across the burning deck. He fell down at Donghun’s side – and relief swept through him as they both sat up. Tears stung his eyes. “Are you alright?”

“Yeah.” Donghun’s voice was hoarse. But there was no time – they both looked over to Hongjoong.

The dark-clad imitation of the captain staggered to his feet, spluttering. He swayed, stained in blood and ash. His sword fell to the ground with a clatter.

“ _Enough_.”

The real Hongjoong walked slowly. The wind caught the long hair on his neck, and his eyes were fire. He drew his blade: it gave a clear chime as it escaped its sheath.

“You stole our lives and you destroyed our home. You killed friends. But it’s over, _spirit_.” Hongjoong’s face lowered into a glower. “As the Captain of this ship, I denounce you guilty of treason, punishable by death.”

He raised his sword.

For one still moment, both figures of the same boy stared one another down. The wind swept along the deck, the sun beat on their necks, the flames crept ever closer.

Hongjoong raised his sword…

…And in one movement, decapitated his imposter.

Junhee flinched back. But there was no time – the blooming flames grew by the second. All of a sudden, one of the great sails caught.

“We need to get out of here!” Donghun struggled to his feet. “Three each, Kwan, Sehyoon!”

“Fuck, I don’t know if I can-!”

“Kwan, we have no choice!”

Donghun wrenched Junhee against him, tight. San and Hongjoong grabbed his arms too.

“You two, I know you can’t fly, but if there’s any way you can help…” Donghun looked at them frantically.

“We’ll keep the wind from slowing you down!” San said, and turned to his captain.

The long-haired boy glanced at his ship for one final time, at the flames that ate her apart. And then, he nodded, resolved.

“Let’s go.”

The sea whipped beneath them, caught on a strong wind. Junhee had flown with Donghun before, but this was different. His teeth were gritted in effort, sweat ran down his temples. Junhee held tight, terrified. He had fought hard, and flying by himself would be difficult right now. But with the weight of three other grown men…

The beach was still achingly far away when Donghun pitched down, hard. All three of the others cried out, but Donghun caught himself, his hand so tight on Junhee’s that his fingers spasmed in pain.

“Don’t give up!” Junhee pleaded. “You can do this!”

Finally, the sea lightened to the light blue of the shallows. There were still a few feet of water beneath them but Donghun dropped them, falling forward immediately. Hongjoong and Junhee grabbed him from the water, slung him over their shoulders and dragged him to the sand.

“Hun? Hun, you did it…” Junhee touched his wet, bloody face with trembling fingers. He jerked away as Donghun threw up violently, pitched forward onto his forearms on the sand. “Oh, little one…” He stroked his back with a still-shaking hand, unconscious of the nickname that had slipped from his lips.

Along the beach, Sehyoon let down his three pirates a little easier – he hadn’t spent his energy fighting. Byeongkwan had fallen into a heap, unconscious.

“Our home…” Hongjoong’s eyes were out to the blackened land, his face crestfallen.

Sehyoon nodded slowly. “We’ll tell you everything that happened. But first, come back with us. You need food, and healing – whatever you need, we’ll do our best to help.”

The captain looked at Sehyoon closely, and placed a hand on his shoulder. “Thank you,” he said, simply.

Junhee still crouched with Donghun, who spat bile onto the sand. Beads of sweat caught on the ends of his hair, and Junhee turned his face up to look at him, tears brimming.

“We did it,” he whispered, throat thick with emotion. “ _You_ did it. Neverland’s safe again.”

It was all Donghun could do to nod weakly.

“I’ll fly us home,” he croaked, but Junhee grabbed his shoulders.

“Are you insane?!” He shook his head. “We’re walking.”

Without waiting to hear a protest, he stood up, and lifted Donghun easily into his arms. He was light, and his head fell against Junhee’s shoulder. Jongho – fresh-faced and strong – lifted up Byeongkwan, and together they turned for home.

~

Evening broke into a spectacular sunset as Junhee sat outside by the lake. His entire body was weary, but his heart soared. The Ateez pirates – or rather, their dark counterfeits – were gone. Donghun and the others, and the rest of Neverland, were safe from their malice. And the real Hongjoong and his crew were saved, and brought back to their home.

He had heard the pirates promise, over and over again, to work with the Lost Boys to rebuild Neverland. They may have weakened in their time held captive, but they were still the young, fierce pirates the Lost Boys had told Junhee about. And their energy – youthful, boyish, positive – was welcome around these parts. Suddenly, the little wooden house was filled with people, all determined to rebuild again what was lost.

The sun sank lower, as though breathing out a great sigh of relief.

“Hey.”

Junhee looked up, smiling at the silhouette that left the house.

“Hey, sweet one.”

“You called me ‘little one’ earlier.” Donghun sat down next to him with a smile. “Oh, I heard. That’s my line.”

“You got me. I’ll come up with my own material.” Junhee grinned, curling a hand around Donghun’s knee. “You feeling okay?”

“Mh. Now I’ve scraped the blood, sweat and sick off my face.” He leaned his head against Junhee’s shoulder. “I’m drained, but nothing some medicine and sleep won’t fix.”

“Good.” Junhee stroked his hair gently. “You were incredibly brave today.” Donghun didn’t respond. “Yuchan would have been proud of you.”

“He would.” Donghun’s voice was quiet.

For a long time, they sat like that, weary but happy in each other’s company. The sun began its descent below the horizon, plunging into the ocean. Distantly, the final remnants of _The Crescent_ burned to dust.

“I’m leaving tomorrow, aren’t I.”

It was a statement, not a question. Junhee knew. The fight was over, and now began the work to restore this incredible place to its former beauty. He had no place here, no way to help, no magical prowess to offer. He was healed. It was his time.

“That’s the plan.” Donghun didn’t look up at him. “We need seeds as quickly as possible. So we have to cross over to your world anyway…”

Junhee swallowed. Minutes passed in silence.

“I don’t know how I’m going to live without you.” Junhee forced the lump out of his throat, but it stuck, stubbornly. “I just keep thinking of lying alone in my bed and knowing… knowing there’s no way to reach you.” He blinked back tears. “I’ll only see you when you all make the journey to collect seeds, but that’s… that’ll be for a few hours, and how often will that even be?”

“Every few months.” Donghun’s voice was laced with pain. Junhee already knew this. They wouldn’t have the magical energy, with so few flowers left, to make that arduous journey at sunset more often than that. But it still hurt. It wasn’t enough. How could a couple of stolen hours in the middle of the night a few times a year ever be enough?

“It’s going to hurt. I don’t know how I’m going to do it.”

Junhee expected Donghun to give him something rallying and reassuring. But instead, he just looked up, helpless. “Me neither.”

Junhee turned his face against Donghun’s neck and closed his eyes. Why was his skin so soft, why did he smell like pine trees and fresh mornings, why was he such a warm place to be…

“Stay.”

Junhee looked up, heart skipping.

“You could stay.” Donghun held his hand, his face etched with hope. “You don’t have to go home. I’ll look after you. Always.”

Junhee allowed the hope of possibility to enter his heart. Living in Neverland, forever. Watching it grow to its former glory, helping the others plant seeds and bring the world back to life. Living with the Lost Boys, spending each day out by the lake, exploring the meadows, climbing high into the mountain peaks. And being with Donghun, always…

…And growing older, as Donghun did not. Leaving his family and friends behind, leaving them with no trace. He’d already been gone for so long – if he never returned, they would presume him dead. His flower shop would stand empty, until someone finally bought it and opened a store of their own. Eunji would be left behind.

“You know I have to go.” It was just a whisper, and the hope on Donghun’s face was dashed. “I can’t leave all the people I love, and my whole life, behind.”

“Even returning to a world where they hurt you for who you are?”

Junhee smiled. He reached out a hand to stroke Donghun’s cheek. “Even returning to a world they hurt me for who I am.” He lifted his shoulders. “You’re going to rebuild Neverland. It’s going to take time, but it’s your home. And no matter the evils and the darkness, you have hope. You’ll make it as beautiful as it once was – or even more beautiful. And my home is no different.” He smiled again. “There’s darkness. There’s awful, _awful_ things that happen. And sometimes that’s a burden that weighs down on us all. But we keep fighting to build a brighter future. Those of us that care – we’ll make the world a better place. I can’t turn my back now, because I’m part of that brighter future. I have my place in it, even if it’s small. So you’ll keep planting flowers in your world, and I’ll keep planting them in mine.”

Donghun nodded, even though a tear slid from his lashes. And as Junhee leaned his head against Donghun’s, he let himself cry too – because sometimes, even the right choice can feel like heartbreak.

~

It was just a matter of waiting for sunset.

Junhee sat with the others inside. It had been a strange day – knowing he was leaving. For the final time, he swam in the lake, ate with the others – as well as the pirates – and skimmed stones on the water. He wished he could take a final walk through the forests – but for now, it was nothing but scorched ground and blackened tree trunks. It would be many years until the forest sung out its magic once again.

All too soon, it was time.

Donghun had explained to him that he would be unconscious when they took him home. They would give him a sedative, and promised he would wake up back at home. It would be Sehyoon taking him back – both Donghun and Byeongkwan were far too weakened after the fight the day before.

“We better prepare.” Sehyoon’s voice was quiet, and Junhee knew it carried with it a different meaning: _say your goodbyes._

And so, first, he turned to the pirates. They all got to their feet, fleeting sadness crossing their features.

“You rescued us,” Hongjoong said simply. “Without you, and the others, we would still be living as captives. We’ll forever be in your debt.”

Junhee shook his head. “You owe me nothing. But I’m glad you’re going to stay and help rebuild things here.” He smiled. “They might act tough… But I think they need you.”

“You have my word.” Hongjoong smiled, and reached into his pocket. When he withdrew his hand, a small, gold compass sat on his palm. “Take it. I won’t need one for a while…” He gave a wry smile. “Not until I get a new fucking ship, anyway…”

Junhee looked up in surprise, and then accepted it, touched.

“Thank you, Captain.”

He turned next to Byeongkwan. The blue-winged boy took him in a long hug.

“I have something for you too.” Byeongkwan glanced at Donghun, who nodded. He held out a little wooden pendent, threaded on a necklace made of woven stems. “This… Yuchan was carving this for you.”

Junhee’s heart cracked.

“He was..?”

“Yeah.” Byeongkwan handed it to him; it was a tiny replica of the wooden house in which they stood, trees growing either side. “He never got a chance to finish it, but he would want you to have it anyway.”

Junhee found he couldn’t speak. He simply ducked his head into the necklace and tucked the pendant against his chest. “I’ll always wear it. I promise.” His eyes started to sting. “Good luck with everything, Byeongkwan. And thank you. For everything you’ve done for me.”

As he was travelling with Sehyoon, there was no need for him to say his farewells just now. And so he felt it, felt it rising in his chest before he even looked up at Donghun. His heart was truly breaking.

“We’ll leave you to it.” Sehyoon nodded them on, and Junhee followed Donghun to the room they shared.

He had always known the tears would come, but he didn’t expect it to feel like his whole world was drowning.

Donghun held him tight, and spoke into his hair but Junhee didn’t hear. He just clung on, and wept, until it was finally bled out of his system.

“I wish I knew what to say.” Donghun pushed back Junhee’s hair. “I just… I love you. And that won’t change.”

“Nor will it change for me.” Junhee sank down onto one of the beds, wiping his eyes. “I’ll wait for you. Every sunset, I’ll be home, in case you come.”

“Junhee…” Donghun pressed his forehead against his. “You’ve got to keep living your life. There’s so much out there in your world for you.”

“And I will.” Junhee pulled back, searching his face. “I’ll work hard every day. I’ll go to the flower market and keep doing the job I love. I’ll see friends and family and… and… and I’ll be someone to make you proud. But at sunset I’ll be home. Just in case.”

Donghun’s lip wobbled, and he nodded.

Outside, the sky was turning pink and amber. Donghun took a deep breath.

“Are you ready?”

It took all of Junhee’s strength to nod.

Donghun fetched the little glass of indigo liquid from the dresser and Junhee accepted it. He took a breath.

“Promise me you’ll be with me until I’m asleep?”

“I promise.” Donghun curled a hand around his neck. “I love you, little one. I’ll come to you as fast as I can.”

“I love you too, Hun. Stay safe. And be brave.” A single tear trickled down Junhee’s cheek. “I’m always with you, even when we’re apart.”

Donghun kissed him, and Junhee knew he was kissing him goodbye. 

The indigo liquid was sweet. He set the glass aside after draining it, and waited. As he looked up into Donghun’s eyes, suddenly their gold-flecked irises looked a little hazy.

Donghun pulled Junhee close, wrapping his arms around him. Junhee leaned against his chest as warmth began to seep through his stomach, his legs, his arms. Tiredness began to pull him down. And there, as he closed his eyes on Neverland for the last time, a pure honey voice sang to him, a golden voice that calmed his heart.

And everything faded to black.

~

The blanket felt so heavy. Too many pillows were piled under his head. And there weren’t any insects whirring.

Junhee opened his eyes.

His own bed. He jolted, even though he had expected to wake up here – the room felt so alien. Moonlight filtered in through the window – just a single moon, not three. Everything was abandoned where he had left it.

Sehyoon sat at the foot of his bed, and smiled.

“Welcome home.”

Junhee sat up, the last of the sedative tingling on his tongue. He pushed back his hair.

“Was the journey okay?”

“Fine.” Sehyoon smiled. “Are you feeling alright?” Junhee nodded. “Then I’d better leave. I need to get the first seeds that are going to start re-growing what we lost.”

“Okay.” Junhee watched as he stood up and walked towards the open window. The light caught on his silver wings and hair. “Thank you, Sehyoon. For… everything. I hope if you and Byeongkwan come back to collect seeds you’ll come and visit, too.”

Sehyoon smiled over his shoulder. “Of course we will. Bonds of friendship are strong in Neverland.” He turned back, and when he spoke, his voice was gentle. “You know… People travel great distances, explore distant lands, every single day. But there’s no greater traveller than love. It knows no distance, and it knows no time. And even if you can’t be with someone, your love reaches them, in ways you can’t begin to understand. So even if you’re a world apart – keep loving, because it gives you wings that mean you’re always together.”

Silently, Junhee nodded.

And with that, Sehyoon raised his hand, stood up on the windowsill, and disappeared into the night.

Junhee took a long, slow breath. His apartment felt very foreign, and quiet. He removed Yuchan’s necklace from his neck and placed it on the table by his bed. Beside it, he placed Hongjoong’s compass. But there was something else in his pocket… He drew out a little scroll of paper and unrolled it gradually with shaking hands. The lettering was cursive.

_Little one-_

_When times are hard, or when you’re lonely, remember that you’re not alone. Every single sunset, I’ll look and think of you. So, if the day is long, if you’re sad, or tired – you can look out at the setting sun and know that I’m thinking about you._

_I’ll be with you soon._

Junhee gasped back his tears, blinking them away as he ran a thumb over the lower half of the parchment. It was a perfect watercolour painting of the sunset in Neverland, the three moons hung in the sky and the lake catching their glow. And bursting across the ground, a hundred glorious sunflowers.

A little note was etched underneath: _you said they were your favourite._

Junhee read it once more, and then tucked it next to the necklace and compass, and lay down to sleep. His dreams – as they would be for the rest of his life – were filled with flowers, and forests, and far away, among the trees, a boy with golden wings.

_.: Epilogue :._

Junhee blinked, unseeing, at his coffee. It swirled, black and sweet, between his weary hands.

“Earth to Junhee..? Come in..?”

He snapped out of his reverie and found Eunji grinning at him. He rolled his eyes with a smirk.

“Sorry. Those morning flower runs are hitting hard again, clearly.” He swigged his coffee and resumed the bouquet he was crafting.

“Really? I told you, you need a break.” A note of concern had crept into Eunji’s voice, one that had become familiar.

It was a year since Junhee had returned from Neverland. And a year since he had stepped into a world where he had been reported missing, disappearing without a trace, only to return home unscathed like he had never been gone. It had taken many long hours of talking – to the police, to his family, to friends – and an alibi, to finally bring his life back to normal. But he noticed concern still quickly sprang to the faces of his friends if he seemed out of sorts.

“I had a break not long ago, Eunji, I’m f-”

“Nope!” Eunji threw down her gloves with a sharp slap. “Go home. Rest. It’s a quiet day, I’ll see us through and lock up. Go watch some Netflix like a normal guy in his late twenties, jeesh.”

When she got like this, putting up a fight was no use. He laughed and relented.

At home, he showered, dressed in trackpants and a t-shirt, and took the time to make food from scratch. Over the last year, he had swapped out convenience food for fresh fruit and vegetables and carefully simmered stews. He supposed Byeongkwan and Sehyoon would have been proud of that one.

He flopped down on the sofa, grateful of the respite. He took it easier these days, too. Sure, the shop was still his love, and floristry his passion. And he and Eunji even held their little fundraisers for young LGBT kids in Korea. But life was worth savouring, and he took some days off from time to time, and stole back lazy afternoons like this when Eunji was free to steer the ship.

As always, he crossed his bedroom as the sun sank low over Seoul and pushed open the window. It was a reflex now, a motion done purely as routine.

He lay back on the sofa, half watching a drama and half dozing in and out.

“…Little one?”

Junhee nearly leapt out of his skin. He froze, entirely tense, and then darted to the door of the bedroom.

“ _Hun!_ ”

They ran at each other and dove into each other arms. Junhee couldn’t wrap his arms around him fast enough, couldn’t grab him tightly enough, as Donghun did the same and picked them both off their feet on his wings.

“I love you… I love you so much…”

It was all Junhee could manage, and Donghun was saying the same, and then he kissed him and Junhee desperately touched his face, his hair, drank in the way he tasted-

“I missed you,” Donghun gasped, and he pulled back to hold onto Junhee’s shoulders tightly, his eyes quickly scanning his face. “You’re okay? Everything is okay?”

“Yes! You? Neverland? What’s happening?”

“Everyone’s fine. Everyone’s safe.” Donghun snatched a kiss again; they both staggered to the side.

It was like this every time. Since he had left, Donghun had been able to see Junhee on three nights – and this their fourth – and it was always this way. Desperate and frantic. Months apart without being able to communicate, and their meetings came in a burst of grabbing hands and kisses, babbled questions and quick reassurances.

And every time he saw Donghun, Junhee fell head over heels in love, over and over again.

Junhee stumbled backwards, and Donghun caught him by his waist, pulled him closer, his hands pushing up under his t-shirt and _oh fuck_ , the way their skin made sparks caught him off-guard every single time. And every time, the energy switched, quick – and their kisses became deep, and their fistfuls of hair tugged harder. He hauled Donghun over to his bed and pushed him down.

It was fast, desperately fast - fingers stroking out gasps, and taking starving mouthfuls of each other. And then Donghun was inside him and _fuck_ , he bucked his hips up and wrenched him closer by his waist, pulling him deeper, months of craving slicking him in sweat and escaping in rough moans.

They saw stars together, pressed into one another tight. But it was holding Donghun afterwards – just lying there, curling around his warm body, feeling his wild caramel hair against his cheek – that was pure and utter bliss.

“I’ve missed you painfully,” Donghun whimpered, trailing desperate little kisses along Junhee’s collarbones.

“Tell me everything.”

And so they lay entwined together, fingertips drawing circles on each other’s hips, and Donghun told him everything from the last few months. The forest was slowly starting to heal. The latest shoots that had grown in the tulip field had come to bud. The ship Hongjoong and his boys were building from the blackened wood from the fires – reinforced by the Lost Boys’ magic combined with their own – was nearly complete. _The Aurora_ would make her maiden voyage before the year was out.

And Junhee spoke too – of his work, and his friends, and his delicately growing relationship with his parents. It felt like simple stories compared to Donghun’s great adventures, but the gold-winged boy drank them in, hung on his every word.

“You must be hungry.” Junhee smoothed back Donghun’s hair and smiled. “Also, this is longer.”

“Mh.” Donghun scraped his own fingers through the brown curls. “It annoys me. This way I can tie it back when I work.” He took a tie from his wrist and fixed it off his face.

Junhee sighed dramatically. “God, it’s like you’re trying to kill me…” He kissed Donghun’s cheek. “Come on, let’s get you something to eat.”

They dressed and headed to the kitchen. Just having Donghun there, sat on the counter, was a moment to be savoured.

“Can I have the worm things?”

Junhee looked up, amusement creeping over his face. “Yes, Hun. You can have the worm things.” He got together leftover udon noodles from the night before. “You gonna cope better with chopsticks this time?”

Junhee had spent a long time adapting to life in Neverland. But on these precious nights, he watched Donghun learn his way of life in return. Had watched him try chocolate for the first time, watched it melt on his fingers as his eyes lit up. Watched him play with a phone, and a laptop – shown him music and movies and tried to answer his thousand questions about the mechanics of how it all worked. Taken a shower with him, unable to stop creasing up in laughter at Donghun’s baffled face as he played with the water that fell on demand.

But his most treasured memory was from the second time he had visited. Junhee had dressed him in a pair of his own jeans, an oversized jumper and a long checked coat, hiding his wings against his back; hooked a mask over his ears to hide his golden freckles; and taken him out to his floristry shop. It had been late at night and the store had stood empty, but Junhee had felt a bursting pride of bringing Donghun here and sharing the most important part of his life with him.

“This is so good,” Donghun managed around a mouthful of food now, still sat cross-legged on the kitchen surface. Junhee smiled at his pouched cheeks, and then fetched something from his room. He handed the bag to Donghun.

“All the seeds you could need.”

Donghun accepted them, his eyes full of emotion. “Junhee, I told you, you don’t have to keep doing this-”

“Don’t be stupid. I buy in flowers every day. It’s nothing, and I want to help. Even in the smallest of ways.”

Donghun put down the bowl and pulled Junhee close. Junhee leaned against his chest, listening to the sound of his heart beating.

Hours had a special way of passing when Donghun was here. It was as though some secret hands wound the clocks forward faster than was natural, because the morning always came far, far too soon.

The black sky began to lighten, and it was time.

“Promise me you won’t cry when I go.” Donghun spoke against his hair as he held him, stood beside the open window. Junhee already felt it burning through his chest: that same blister of pain, more agonising than anything he could have dreamed of before learning how it felt to say goodbye.

“You know that that’s a promise I break every time.” Junhee fought the emotions back: they would come, but he didn’t want Donghun to have to see his pain. He swallowed. “Next time I see you, we’ll be the same age.” He gave a weak laugh. “Well, kind of. You know what I mean. Twenty-eight.”

Donghun’s eyes looked sad. “In how many days?”

Junhee did a quick count. “Thirty-two.”

“I’ll think about you lots that day.” He took Junhee’s hand. “I know it’s not much…”

“It’s everything.”

Donghun caught him up in a kiss. Junhee held on tight, didn’t want to let go, because letting go meant-

“Goodbye, little one. I’ll come and see you soon.”

“I love you,” he choked, as Donghun turned to the window.

“I love you too. Always will.”

And if every time Donghun appeared in his window was complete bliss, every time he left was the same too: a complete shattering of his heart.

Junhee sank down onto his bed. The sobs came fast and relentless. He pulled his knees up, his body shaking with his tears, face screwed up. It didn’t just not get any easier – it got _harder_.

And that was how this year had been. Yes, he filled it with all that he loved, filled his busy days with flowers and happiness. But there were days when the pain was too much. When he would go home to his apartment, and sit in bed alone, and cry his heart out. Days he missed Donghun so much he couldn’t breathe. When all he wanted was to sit in those tree branches and talk with him.

But there was no way to reach him, and there would never be.

So this was it. Donghun was his soulmate, and he would always be somewhere beyond his reach. And every day that it nearly broke him, Junhee picked up the pieces and forced himself to carry on, forced himself to go on for that one night, every few months.

He had seen Byeongkwan and Sehyoon, too – brief visits in the night-time. And Byeongkwan had told him how Donghun didn’t break down, didn’t lean on them in tears. He simply grew quiet, and went to sit at the lakeside alone, watching the sunset in silence. And that’s how they knew the days on which he was breaking inside.

At least Seoul was blossoming into summer. The skies shone blue and cloudless every day, and Junhee focussed on the new seasonal buds that filled the morning market with sugary scents; on the iced coffees Eunji fetched him at lunch; on the early evenings spent reading down by the river.

His birthday was just another day at work. Eunji insisted on feeding him cake until he felt sick, but he had no celebrations planned. Birthdays had never been high on his agenda.

He was late heading home – choosing to walk the long way home through the evening streets. At home, he was content. Some may have felt sad spending their birthday without plans; but Junhee smiled as he looked out to the sinking sun, knowing that a very long way away, someone was thinking of him.

It was such a soothing thought, he fell asleep, arms pillowed on the side of the armchair and his cheek resting on top. Sunlight fell through the window and warmed his face, and dreams filtered through his subconscious.

_A chirping forest, alive with the calls of a thousand insects. Carpets of flowers: periwinkle, violet, azure. A boy, laughing, sunlight trickling through the canopy and catching the gold freckles on his face._

_“Junhee…” he whispered, reaching out a hand. “Junhee…”_

“Junhee?”

He opened his eyes slowly, holding on to the dream.

Dark brown eyes looked into his.

He gasped.

“Hun..?”

“Little one.” Donghun pulled something from behind his back, and Junhee sat up fast. He stared, tears welling and spilling, as Donghun handed him a massive armful of sunflowers, all tied up in twine. “Happy birthday.”

Junhee couldn’t speak, he just accepted them. He hadn't expected him for weeks yet… And he broke down into silent sobs.

“Hey…” Donghun moved to sit beside him, pulled him close, found his lips. For a moment Junhee, as always, cherished his touch, his taste, but then he broke again, his shoulders shaking as he leaned his head on Donghun’s shoulder. “Junhee, what is it? What happened?”

“I’m shattering without you.” He clung to Donghun’s clothes, unable to hold back. “Our time together is so fleeting, and then every day feels like I’m living with part of my heart missing.”

“It’s because a part of you _is_ missing.” Junhee looked up through his tears, and found Donghun’s eyes bright. “I think we were always supposed to be together, somehow.”

“I do too.” Junhee held his face with love and desperate sadness. “I’ve never believed in something more. But the sun will always rise, and you’ll always have to leave when it does.”

Donghun pressed the gentlest kiss into Junhee’s forehead.

The evening breeze flittered through the window.

“…What if I didn’t leave in the morning?”

Distantly, on the streets below, children laughed. A bird called out its song.

Junhee stared at Donghun’s face. The tears froze on his face.

“Don’t talk crazy…”

“I’m not.” Donghun took a deep breath, his eyes not wavering from Junhee’s. “This… isn’t an impulse I’m acting on,” he said slowly. “This is something I’ve thought about. That I’ve talked to Byeongkwan and Sehyoon about at length.”

Junhee’s hands shook. “But if you don’t leave, your wings…”

“They’ll disappear, yeah. I would start to age naturally, too, just like you do. And I won’t be able to return to Neverland. I know.”

“…It’s your home...”

“What if home is a person, and not a place?”

And the way Junhee’s heart ached at that.

“Junhee.” Donghun moved closer, taking his hands. “Neverland is every part of my past. I was raised in her heart, and from the day I was born, I defied death there. Over and over again. I watched her burn, and I helped regrow her. And now, the land’s returning to normal. Flowers are growing again, the trees are healing, creatures are living in the forest again.” He lifted his shoulders. “I think my time there is done. I’ve lived a thousand adventures. But it’s time for one that goes beyond the horizon.” He swallowed. “You.”

Junhee was rendered entirely still. A life, a life with _him_ , every day filled with his love and his touch. There would be a lot to work out – how would he explain to anyone that he had a boy living with him now? – but they would find a way. Hell, they had taken on a crew of pirates aboard their great black ship, this was nothing, this…

“You could come work in the flower shop.”

It was small, and insignificant, but it was the only words that came to his lips. Donghun smiled, his eyes filled with sudden hope.

“B-but,” Junhee continued, casting desperately for anything to stop his own hope bubbling up. “Byeongkwan and Sehyoon… The creatures in Neverland… And your things…”

“Byeongkwan and Sehyoon support this. And I’m sure they’ll visit once in a while.” He smiled. “Neverland will be looked after by them both – and Hongjoong and the boys, too.” He paused. “They knew I was going to suggest this tonight. If I’m not home by sunrise, they know what choice was made.” He nodded slowly. “They’ll bring me what I need.”

“So… so this would really be it? You’d… never go back there?” Junhee’s heart wrenched. Take Donghun from that beautiful world, never again to sing to the flowers, never again sit under the light of three moons, never again sit with starlight shining on his wings?

“Not for some time,” Donghun answered. “Who knows, maybe one day Sehyoon or Byeongkwan could take me back for a visit.” He laughed gently.

“… But your wings… You’d never be able to travel home yourself. You’d… you’d never fly again.”

“Little one.” Donghun’s fingers curled around his neck. “I know these things. All of them. But to me… Neverland was never able to fill my heart, or make me happy. It’s just a _place._ I spent my life fighting to survive, and with survival consuming my every thought, there was no room for simple _happiness._ And then there was you. And even though I tried to hold you away, suddenly I felt happy. Happier than I could ever remember being.” He shrugged helplessly. “There’s only one thing that matters, one factor that affects my decision.” Junhee watched him. “ _You_. If this isn’t the life you want, I understand.”

For a long moment, Junhee watched him, and found nothing but sincerity in his eyes. This was what Donghun wanted. He was willing to sacrifice everything.

Junhee cupped Donghun’s face in both hands, tears spilling down his cheeks.

“I want you to stay.”

And Donghun kissed him, softly, as though they had always been meant for each other, and as though they would always remain to be.

There was some silent beauty to falling asleep in Donghun’s arms. So long since they had been able to rest with each other, and Junhee found himself slipping into a sleep more peaceful than he could remember.

They woke in the early morning.

The sky began to lighten, that early indication that the night was drawing to an end. Junhee sat up quietly as Donghun crept out of bed. He crossed to the open window, watching the fading of the final stars.

The first rays started to bathe Seoul in an amber glow.

Dawn broke with a blushed pink sky, sweet blossom brought in on the breeze. Gradually, the silent city was filled with the light of sunrise. The sun broke free of the shackles of the horizon.

Golden light drenched the room through the open window. Donghun watched the day break, a simple silhouette against the window.

A single petal fell from his wings.

One by one, golden blossoms fell. What once were the strong veins of his wings softened to silk, broke free, and fluttered to the floor.

Until, eventually, the last petal dropped.

Donghun turned, finally. He reached to touch his back, fingers running over smooth shoulder blades.

He looked up at Junhee, and smiled.

“Ready for that next big adventure?” Junhee asked quietly.

Donghun sat down next to him, took his hand, and kissed him. The morning light shone in his eyes.

“Always.”

_｡･:*:･ﾟ★,｡･:*:･ﾟ☆ The End ｡･:*:･ﾟ★,｡･:*:･ﾟ☆_

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Fantasy has been my passion since I was a child; A.C.E are one of my greatest loves now. Thank you for following the story that allowed me to combine these two things. I would love to hear what you thought of it!
> 
> Keep planting flowers in your world, little ones. 
> 
> See you soon..!
> 
> With love,  
> The Indigo Dragonfly
> 
> [Come say hi on Twitter!](https://twitter.com/IndiDragonfly)


End file.
